Jennifer Stone Was Inspired By Selena Gomez to Share Her Diabetes Diagnosis

Jennifer Stone is opening up about her struggle with Type 1 Diabetes, thanks to her former co-star Selena Gomez!

The 24-year-old Wizards of Waverly Place star recently got candid about her diagnosis, following Selena‘s announcement about her kidney transplant.

“It always inspires me the way people are transparent about the challenges and the things they face in their life,” Jennifer told IBT.

She went on to share that she was diagnosed with diabetes at age 20 and doctors told her that she was going to have to move home and quit acting.

“I thought that my life was going to change drastically…I was devastated and then I reached the point where I was like, ‘Screw that, that’s not the life I want for myself and I don’t accept that, and I’m not going to let this disease tell me what I can and can’t do with my life,’” Jennifer said.

She added, “I worked hard with my doctors, and I still work hard every day, the disease never goes away. And that’s why I wanted to come forward with this…The only way you can get through it, is just take it one day at a time and know there’s going to be some days that just really suck, but there’s going to be good days too. And with each day, it’s going to get easier and you’re going to learn more and you’re going to figure it out and it’s going to be okay.”