On Sunday, June 1st, "Sharing Miracles" -- a 30-minute public affairs television program that tells the compelling and inspirational stories of real patients -- will feature Deborah Gibson, an extraordinary entertainer who burst onto the music scene at just 16 years old and quickly became a worldwide star. The show also debuts Sunday in four new markets -- New York, Chicago, Philadelphia and Albuquerque, New Mexico -- and now shows on 115 television stations across the United States.
Deborah, or "Debbie" as she was originally known to her millions of fans, is an American pop music icon. She still holds the Guinness record as the youngest artist in chart history to write, produce and perform a number one song, "Foolish Beat."
More recently, Deborah has starred in Pop Goes Broadway, which a critic hailed as a "spectacular ... must-see" musical revue. "There simply aren't enough superlatives" to do the Harrah's Resort Atlantic City show justice, wrote the Courier-Post, of Cherry Hill, NJ.
Fans first met Deborah in 1986, when she signed her first recording contract with Atlantic Records, and later that year released her first hit, "Only In My Dreams." Six months later, her first album, "Out of the Blue," went triple platinum. Recording eight hit singles and two multi-platinum albums,
Deborah Gibson became a household name and international pop phenomenon before turning 18.
But the demanding work load and lifestyle of a pop idol would take its toll on the young star. During her high school graduation party, Deborah suffered her first panic attack. She would go on to suffer from anxiety and depression for more than three years until finally seeking treatment. These days Gibson is a successful Broadway star and recording artist, and she uses her position to spread the message of hope for others who suffer from anxiety and depression.
Gibson's stressful experience as a child celebrity is not uncommon. "You see a lot of professional children who grow up to have problems, because fame is not a natural thing we're wired to know how to handle as kids," she said.
"Once I was able to acknowledge what it [anxiety and depression] was, I was able to address it. I was able to get help through therapy and medication," she added. "You have to treat yourself well - it's an ongoing battle for me. But now, I have great care, I know the signs, I can prevent things from happening before they get out of control."
Previous episodes of "Sharing Miracles" have featured Emmy Award winning actor Joey Pantoliano, who suffers from clinical depression; former White House Press Secretary Tony Snow, who is battling colon cancer; actor and Leave It To Beaver star
Jerry Mathers, who is affected by diabetes; and North Carolina State University women's basketball coach Kay Yow, a breast cancer survivor. Future programs will highlight Academy Award winner and patient advocate
Marcia Gay Harden; Olympic Gold Medal winners Greg Louganis, who suffers from HIV, Mark Spitz (high cholesterol) and Bruce Jenner (attention deficit disorder); and syndicated television talk show host Montel Williams, who suffers from multiple sclerosis. Sharing Miracles is produced by PhRMA's Communications & Public Affairs Department.
"Sharing Miracles" airs on Sunday mornings - in 41 television markets, reaching nearly 35 million households.
The show's corresponding Web site,
www.sharingmiracles.com, is an interactive forum for people to relate their own personal stories of hope and survival. Every patient's battle is unique, but the collective power of shared experiences can offer great help and courage to others who are fighting for their lives.
