Delta Burke is an American actress best known for her role as Suzanne Sugarbaker in Designing Women, which earned her two Emmy award nominations.
Burke was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at the age of 41, while she was struggling with her weight and depression
Acting career
Originally a beauty queen, Burke attended a study program at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art through a talent scholarship with Miss America.
Following Designing Women, Burke secured roles in the film What Women Want and television show Boston Legal, among an array of other TV and film parts.
Following her type 2 diagnosis, Burke lost 60 pounds in 2005 for the Broadway production of Steel Magnolias, which required her to be thinner.
Focus on health
Burke was told by her doctor upon her type 2 diagnosis that failure to control her condition through diet and exercise would lead to insulin treatment.
She has since been on medication, along with treatment for her depression, and in 2007 she became a spokesperson for the Byetta Let’s Talk Campaign, which was designed to educate people with type 2 diabetes about the importance of living a healthy lifestyle.
