CLEVELAND — Cleveland -raised musician Michael Trotter Jr. is transforming both his health and his stage presence.

More than a million Ohio adults were diagnosed with diabetes in 2022, according to the Ohio Department of Health , but experts believe many more have the condition without knowing it. For the Cleveland native Trotter, his 2011 Type 2 diabetes diagnosis initially "felt hopeless" — until he decided to fight back.

Trotter, who formed the Grammy-nominated band The War and Treaty with his wife Tanya nearly a decade ago, struggled with significant weight gain and difficulty performing when first diagnosed. The Army veteran, who rediscovered his love of music while stationed in Iraq, initially viewed diabetes as a "family disease" he couldn't overcome.

"When I got diagnos

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