For award-winning actors and longtime friends Octavia Spencer and Sofia Vergara, health advocacy is a personal mission, and respectively, it’s patient and caring. Spencer, known for her roles in films such as Servant, hidden data, And Mother, He has been living with type 2 diabetes and more recently high blood pressure for two decades. Vergara, meanwhile, is beloved for projects like modern Family And America’s Got TalentSees those risks up close as she helps her mom manage high blood pressure and stay on top of appointments and screenings. Together, they are now speaking out about the importance of paying attention to what may be missed long before symptoms appear.
That shared perspective is what inspired them to join locate sosA public health initiative – with Boehringer Ingelheim, the American Diabetes Association, the National Kidney Foundation, Mended Hearts and WomenHeart – encourages people with high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes Ask your doctors about a simple urine test known as a UACR (urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio). The test can help flag early signs of kidney damage, often before routine screening can detect anything.
had extensive talks with Healthy, Spencer, 55, and Vergara, 53, share the inspirations that led them to join the campaign, their thoughts on aging and longevity, and why advocating for your own health or the health of a loved one can start with a question in the exam room.
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Healthy: This campaign focuses on early detection. Was there a moment in your life when you realized that prevention and screening were just as important as treatment, and what brought you to this campaign?
Octavia Spencer: I think we’ve seen this with other campaigns like breast health colonoscopy Screening is where prevention plays such an important role. This is just as important, and we hope that when people realize how easy this screening is, it can have the same accessibility. Personally, I am a type 2 diabetic and have high blood pressure. Early detection was important for me, especially when I learned that people with diabetes and high blood pressure have a higher risk of kidney damage, which can also lead to cardiovascular events. So it was very important to be a part of it.
Healthy: And Sophia?
Sofia Vergara: several things. First of all, my mother – who is in her 70s – has high blood pressure. I haven’t yet; I am 53 years old. But high blood pressure is a big problem in my family. This is very important to me because I have become a supporter of my mother. Sometimes she doesn’t take things seriously or forgets, so I really have to keep her focused, make appointments for her, guide her on what her year should be like in terms of screenings and checkups, things she really doesn’t want to do.
Then, of course, they told me I was going to work with this girl right here, and that made me so excited. And also because I’m Latina, this is an issue that really affects the Latino community in this country and all over the world. It’s strange how common high blood pressure and diabetes are among Latinos. On a mission to promote this testing so we can help people assess their risk chronic kidney diseaseWhich is a very serious, very dangerous thing.
Healthy: Each of you is coming to this as either a patient or a caregiver. High blood pressure and type 2 diabetes are often described as manageable, but they can lead to serious complications. Based on your experiences, what do you want people to understand that they are missing out on living with these conditions?
Sofia Vergara: What we’re really trying to tell people is that if you have high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes, you are at risk for developing chronic kidney disease. This is very serious. And unfortunately, many people don’t know that there is a very simple test. This is not a colonoscopy; This is not blood. This is a urine test. Very easy.
Octavia Spencer: so easy!
Sofia Vergara: With this test, you can find out whether you are at risk for kidney disease or not. heart attackOr stroke. It is sad that this has not become something that every doctor routinely asks patients with high blood pressure or diabetes to check. We want patients to know this option exists and to ask for it and advocate for themselves. There’s a simple test that can help manage a very serious disease: chronic kidney disease.
Octavia Spencer: And when I heard about it, I asked my doctor. This was easy since you are already doing some type of urine test. Asking for this screening was simple, and receiving the results was reassuring – it was wonderful to know that my kidneys were functioning normally. We just want people to learn from this. If you have diabetes or high blood pressure, your body may be sending an SOS that your kidneys are in danger. There’s a very simple test—UACR—and people can take DetectTheSOS.com To know more.
Healthy: One topic our readers are very interested in right now is longevity – not just living longer, but protecting quality of life. How does thinking about your health affect your work, travel or daily habits? What health practices have earned your trust over time?
Sofia Vergara: For me, at this age, after working so long, the most important thing is to take care of yourself – if you have that luxury. I no longer take jobs that make me tired like before. First, I needed it, and I had the energy and support. Now I want to be more thoughtful about doing things that make me happy, not just for the money.
I want to be able to exercise, eat well, and see my family while still working. That’s my view on 53. You can’t control much about whether or not you’ll get sick, but we know that eating well, exercising, and to socialize Being with people you love makes a difference to health and longevity. And also, I will apply any mask, cream, or product that someone tells me will make me look younger—I will apply it.
Octavia Spencer: For me, I think Sophia added a lot to it. In our industry, and probably most people, we tend to put off doctor’s appointments until something goes wrong. We need to get better about having regular visits even when we feel well, so we’re not waiting for a problem to arise. I’m also a little busy with work, so I’m trying to spend more quality time with family and friends. And as I get older, I want to move into the next phase of my life stronger, so I’m more committed to fitness now than I have ever been. functional strength training and pilates. Everything seems to be shrinking, so I’m just trying to grow taller and get stronger.
Healthy: What’s one self-care habit you refuse to give up?
Octavia Spencer: Hot tubs and hot salt soaking baths.
Sofia Vergara: I wash my hair every day. I’ve done this since I was little. People are always surprised, but I grew up in Colombia – it’s tropical, hot, humid. You have to wash your hair every day. So I still do that.
Octavia Spencer: You have a lot of hair—maybe I need to start doing that.
Healthy: Finally, looking ahead, what projects are you most excited about at the moment?
Octavia Spencer: feds And lost women of alaska There are two franchise series for Warner Bros. Discovery that I narrate and executive produce. lost women of alaska Follows the disappearance of indigenous women in Alaska feds Continuing. We had access to the FBI and some of their most dangerous, high-profile cases. This series will air on 25 February and 4 March.
Sofia Vergara: Right now, I’m not acting – I’m focused on my companies. I have a coffee company called Dios Mio, a makeup line called Toty, and a Latin food company called TOMA. I’ve been really focused on developing them, and it’s been exciting to launch them all. I’ve always been more into the business side of things than the acting side, so I’m having a great time. And Octavia – we’re going to do something together. Maybe a movie, a TV show, a reality show. I don’t know. (Laugh) No, we’ll be in trouble!
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