Strictly Come Dancing star Nikita Kuzmin has shared the struggles he faces dancing with diabetes.
The professional dancer blew the judges away with his Argentine Tango alongside actor Layton Williams last Saturday (November 11). However, it seems the performance might not have been as effortless as it looked, due to his debilitating health condition.
Yesterday (November 14) was World Diabetes Day and to mark the occasion, Nikita opened up to his fans about his experience with the illness.
Strictly star Nikita discusses diabetes
Alongside a photo of him posing proudly with his diabetes sensor, he told his 218k followers: “Diabetes can sometimes feel like an invisible battle, and raising awareness around both the highs and lows, as well as the key symptoms of diabetes, is essential.”
He listed “thirst, tiredness, weight loss, and toilet use” as some of the uncomfortable symptoms he is forced to deal with on a daily basis. He added that he has to keep a close eye on his sensor to see when he can “take a break from long dance training sessions”.
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The Ukrainian dancer went on to urge anyone who is experiencing similar symptoms to consult a healthcare professional, but made sure to remind people that “everyone’s symptoms can be different”.
Nikita was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 13. In an appearance on Morning Live last year, he shared the heartwarming story of how he came to terms with his condition.
“When I found out, I thought, ‘My career’s over,’ and the next morning I woke up and I saw all those kids smiling and they were happy and they were diabetics just like me.” He said, “I went out of my room and – this is one of my best memories in my life – there was this wall of fame.
“It was all of the famous, successful diabetics – Olympians, Paralympians, presidents, actors – everything. And actually, I think I made quite a few of them up because I thought there was quite a few more people than there actually were.”
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