Supporters of veteran Filipino performer Gary Valenciano expressed their relief on social media after knowing that he is now “recuperating” from a successful heart surgery he underwent last Sunday.
Valenciano, dubbed early in his career as “Mr. Pure Energy” for his dance numbers, assured people on Facebook via a short video on Tuesday that he is “getting better” and will soon return to Kapamilya TV shows Tawag ng Tanghalan, Your Face Sounds Familiar, and ASAP.
“Paminsan, aabsent parin ako just to make sure that I’m in good shape. But the doctors are very satisfied with how it all turned out. My heart is actually in very good condition,” Valenciano said in the video.
In a statement via Viber public chat, Valenciano explained that he felt chest pains after he performed with his son, Gabriel Valenciano, during the celebration of his 35th anniversary in entertainment two weeks ago.
After consultation, his doctor told him that a part of his heart, left anterior descending artery (LAD), “is 95% blocked and now has very thin walls,” because of his juvenile diabetes, the chronic disease he had dealt with throughout his career.
“I now lie here on a hospital bed because I need a bypass immediately,” the Kapamilya personality said.
Aside from his family, Valenciano also received support from people on social, particularly to those who also have diabetes.
Eating habits, exercise and family
Despite being in the industry for since the 1980s, he continues to inspire many fans around the world with his lively performances in singing and dancing.
The 53-year-old had written and produced memorable songs of all time like “Move Your Body”, “Di Na Natuto”, and “Stolen Moments”, as well as theme songs of ABS-CBN series like “Walang Hanggan” for the teleseye of the same name.
In a report, Valenciano said that he has to take good care of himself because of his diabetes, which includes regular exercise and good eating habits.
“I bike to work and I bike from work. If I have the chance, I would bike from here,” he said in the report.
His wife, Angeli Pangilinan, and his children, Gabriel, Kristina, and Paolo, also makes him “feel young” because they guide or remind him on the do’s and don’ts to keep his health in tip-top shape.
Lifelong battle with diabetes
Valenciano had been dealing with Type 1 diabetes or juvenile diabetes since he was diagnosed when he was 14 years old.
According to Mayo Clinic, type 1 diabetes is a chronic insulin-dependent condition wherein “the pancreas produces little or no insulin.”
“Insulin is a hormone needed to allow sugar (glucose) to enter cells to produce energy,” the article noted.
While there are many factors that contribute to diabetes, the main causes are normally genetics and environmental factors.
According to the International Diabetes Federation, there were 3.7 million cases of diabetes in the Philippines for 2017.
