Everybody has a scourge. And, this goes out of the bound in the case of celebrities. One can often see them steering away from the glittery screens to contribute to social good. They use their platform and stardom to shoot in various awareness campaigns and other bits in the interests of society. Sometimes their initiatives draw from other people’s sufferings. Other times, they use their precious personal experiences in shaping their awareness sprees. Away from spotlights and camera, many artists have battled their health conditions silently. They have put in their might and emerged stronger to help others facing a similar situation around the world. Here are a few celebrity names who have pitched in against their concealed health conditions.
Bella Hadid (Lyme Disease)
Bella Hadid rules millions of hearts with her iconic beauty and charm. But the beauty queen has been fighting her Lyme (tick-borne) disease over the years. She has to undergo daily treatments to keep her starry life going. Her secret struggle came to light when her mother spoke about it in a reality show. The mother-daughter duo has been carrying out various awareness campaigns and initiatives about the disease since her diagnosis. Her honest and persistent efforts have also earned her the Global Lyme Alliance award.
Jack Osbourne (Multiple Sclerosis)
All fell down for Jack Osbourne when he lost the vision of his right eye. Not just that, he had also been suffering from his pinching leg. His visit to a doctor finally caught his multiple sclerosis in 2012. The revelation rattled him and he began to look for a first-hand experience to know more. He has since managed to get over the disease and has reclaimed his lost vision. To pay back to society, he has immersed himself in the global fight against multiple sclerosis.
Will.I.Am (ADHD)
The music sensation Will.I.Am is another name who has kept his health condition under the cover for a long time. He has been enduring attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) over his lifetime. His mother helped him overcome his fears and to everyone’s delight, he has come up as an inspiration to others going through the same ordeal. Rather than weeping over it, he has accepted it as an irreversible truth of his life. He has learnt to live with it and turn it in his favor.
Dan Reynolds (Ankylosing Spondylitis)
The Imagine Dragons’ star, Dan Reynolds came to know about his ankylosing spondylitis diagnosis in his early 20s. To his horror, he took it as a shame and buried it down in his heart. Only his wife and band mates knew his scourge. However, over the years, he began to have a change of his heart. He broke the chill by revealing his condition in 2015 to his fans. Sending in the awareness and strength waves, he has become the face of Monster Pain in the AS.
Nick Jonas (Type 1 Diabetes)
Nick Jonas faced the shock at the age of 13 when he got diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. The famous singer was on the brink of getting into a coma then. But his brother’s intelligence noticed his symptoms and got him checked. Since then, he has been braving the condition and has turned his focus on his health discipline. He plans his day and diet keeping in mind his condition. Not just that, he has also shared his experience and helped others against it through various means.
Venus Williams (Sjögren’s Syndrome)
Can you expect a Sjögren’s syndrome patient to win a sports field? Well, Venus Williams has surpassed these doubts with her grit and determination. The celebrated tennis player has been suffering from the syndrome over the years but hasn’t bowed down before her health conditions and has inspired others with her feat. She has been playing an active role in supporting people haggling with it. Sidelining her unease and discomfort, she has altered the outlook of syndrome sufferers.
Shania Twain (Lyme Disease)
The singing star Shania Twain experienced the worst side of Lyme disease. Coming back from her horseback riding in 2003, she began to encounter problems with her vocal cords. She started losing her melodious voice. Soon, she came to know about her Lyme illness. To her horror, she had to pull out of singing and make way for her treatment. However, she kept her spirits up and faced the situation. With exercise and treatments, she managed to save her voice. But she still struggles to speak sometimes.
Frankie Muniz (Mini Strokes)
Frankie Muniz is one of the people who don’t know the concrete reason for their ailment. The actor has been through many mini strokes but doctors haven’t been able to figure out the cause. He had his first stroke encounter back in 2012. He tried hard to get over it but finally accepted it as a part of his life. Now, he has taken optimism as the way of life. He now looks forward to cherishing his life to the fullest.
Mick Mars (Ankylosing Spondylitis)
Another star that battles ankylosing spondylitis is Mick Mars. The lead guitarist of the Motley Crue band felt his arthritis problems surfacing when he was 19. Running short of money then, he bore the heart-wrenching pain for years. After getting diagnosed with it, his guitar strengthened his fight. He has now begun to look on the other side and cherish his work and passion. Music thus has come to the fore as a soothing bliss and has kept him going.
Lady Gaga (Fibromyalgia)
Lady Gaga needs no introduction but not everyone is aware of her fibromyalgia suffering. The pop star has described her painful condition as a result of anxiety, depression, PTSD, trauma, and panic disorder. She opened up about her fibromyalgia before the release of the documentary ‘Gaga: Five Foot Two’ (2017). Not just that, she had to abort her concerts in 2017 due to her chronic pain. But she has learned to face and handle her agonies and looks forward to helping others with the illness around the world.
George Clooney (Chronic Pain)
Mishaps are enough to leave one with severe health conditions. No one can know it better than George Clooney. It was in 2005 when he ended up injuring himself during the shoot of the film Syriana. The accident broke his spine and caused the leaking of cerebrospinal fluid. It left him with chronic back pain and made it difficult for him to live normally. He had surgery to cut down his pain but still continues to live with headaches and reduced pain.
Halle Berry (Type 1 Diabetes)
Another star battling type 1 diabetes is Halle Berry. The much-celebrated model got diagnosed with the condition when she was 19. Her struggle to grow accustomed to it went on for years. She managed to outdo it and mark her name in the domain. Owing to her efforts, she has taken it as part of her life. Her positive attitude has helped her spread awareness and information about diabetes and its various facets. Not just that, she is also a volunteer for the Juvenile Diabetes Association charity.
Bono (Glaucoma)
Have you ever wondered why Bono always steps around with his dark glasses? Well, you are on the wrong track if you connect it to his love for glasses. Bono has to keep his dark sunglasses on for his glaucoma. He uses them as a way to protect his eyes against lights and glare. For him, they have become a part of his life. After all, he has been carrying them for 20 years. Showing his faith in his treatments, he hopes to be fine soon.
Mariah Carey (Bipolar Disorder)
Mariah Carey prefers to keep her personal life away from the spotlight. The same was the case with her diagnosis of bipolar disorder in 2001. She kept it in her heart, and went ahead scripting her name. The mental stigma reined her in from revealing her condition with fear of loss of career hovering around. However, she managed to rout that fear and discussed her condition publicly in 2018. She saw her act as a way of encouraging others to drop those apprehensions and come forward.
Lil Wayne (Epilepsy)
The rap star Lil Wayne is a victim of epilepsy. Since his diagnosis with it in his childhood, he has suffered many seizures over the years. However, he never let that come in his way to fame and stardom. He has faced that with his grit and determination and has bounced back after those scary moments. He takes his condition as a repercussion of stress. Over the years, he has managed to understand it and learned the way to deal with it.
Tom Hanks (Type 2 Diabetes)
The famous actor Tom Hanks decided to adjust his lifestyle when he came to know about his type 2 diabetes diagnosis. He took it upon himself and set out to face it with his perseverance and determination. He did not shy away and opened up about it publicly back in 2013. Over the years, he has brought in many changes in his lifestyle and routine. The condition thus looks at a satisfactory level and under control in his case.
Morgan Freeman (Fibromyalgia)
Morgan Freeman is another star who has got under the heat of fibromyalgia. The much-celebrated actor has cemented his name in golden hues for his iconic work and persistence. He never capitulated to his condition and fought back heroically. However, he could not preempt it from robbing him of some of his delights. He had to forego horse riding and sailing. But he has gone ahead to pick up new delights and altered his life accordingly since then. He has also retained his professional ground while battling his health condition.
David Beckham (Asthma)
It is hard to believe for one that David Beckham has an asthma problem. The much-celebrated soccer player has lived with the condition since his childhood. He played his heart out on the ground without letting the world catch his health condition. However, it thundered down when shutterbugs snapped him using his inhaler at the 2009 MLS Cup. It spread like fire around the world. He finally came up to reveal it. The player saw it through the prism of positivity and hoped it to inspire others.
Sia (Graves’ Disease)
Everybody knows that Sia loves to keep her face behind her hairdos. The singer has managed to pump up thrills with her iconic hits and mystery looks. It was a shocker when the singing icon took to her social media account in 2012 to break the news of her Graves’ disease diagnosis. Not just that, she also went ahead to discuss her condition before the world. But she did not lose out on her spirits and hope. She has faced the condition with her determination, will power and perseverance.
Julianne Hough (Endometriosis)
Julianne Hough rose to fame with her moves in the dancing show ‘Dancing with The Stars’. She got diagnosed with endometriosis back in 2008. But she didn’t want to discuss it. She silently braved it for ten years. Then, she felt the urge to open about it. Finally, in 2018, she came under the light and went ahead to reveal her health condition. Not just that, it has also become part of initiatives that look forward to helping and aware women suffering from it across the globe.
Michael Phelps (ADHD)
There is hardly any soul who does not know about the laurels and glory of Michael Phelps. The star swimmer has set many records and titles under his name. However, very few people know about his attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). He has been living with the disorder since his school years. But swimming entered his life and stayed there forever. It has helped in channelizing his energy in the right way over the years. His passion for swimming has thus helped him in overcoming the ADHD shadows in his life.
Kim Kardashian (Psoriasis)
Kardashians are the stars of the television world for their show "Keeping Up with the Kardashians". However, very few fans know that their favorite Kim Kardashian got diagnosed with psoriasis during the show. The star noticed red patches on her legs in 2011. However, she did not have it slow down her fame race. She has learned to live with the condition. Not just that, she now knows how to deal with her condition to a great extent. She has thus risen as a strong person in her fight.
Pete Davidson (Crohn’s Disease)
Comedians also fall prey to devastating health conditions. And, Pete Davidson is one such name. The "Saturday Night Live" actor came to know about his Crohn’s disease when he was 17 years old. He tried his best to come up with a cure but his stomach pain would not leave him. There have been days when he could not eat anything and moaned in pain. His weight got to the mark of 110 pounds. Finally, he has to switch to a way to sustain himself and keep his life going.
Halsey (Endometriosis)
Another celebrity figure that has endured endometriosis is Halsey. She came up strongly to throw open the gates for discussion on the condition. She began it by revealing her sufferings and shared the news of her surgery to reduce the painful encounters. She has always kept herself open about it to encourage other women to stave off their fears and stigmas. Her social media posts have gone a long way in keeping the spirit alive. She has not left any stone unturned to inspire others.
Selena Gomez (Lupus)
The pop icon Selena Gomez came to know about her diagnosis with Lupus in 2013. Taking note of the situation, she had to put a brake on her professional assignments to spare time for her treatment. She finally brought that into the light in 2015. Meanwhile, her kidneys continued to suffer under the blow of her condition. Finally, she underwent a transplant in 2017 and managed to get her situation under control. She has been an active voice in the awareness campaign of Lupus since then.
Missy Elliot (Graves’ Disease)
Have you ever wondered at the abrupt halt in the iconic career of Missy Elliot? The high on energy rapper was seeing the best of her career and then, she noticed her weight getting abnormally low. She went for a medical examination and got diagnosed with Graves’ disease in 2008. Following the medical advice, she turned away from the limelight to make way for medication and radiation. After years of her struggle and fight, she finally turned up. She revealed her faceoff with Graves’ and her changed lifestyle.
Michael J. Fox (Parkinson’s Disease)
Leading a star-laden acting career, Michael J. Fox is well-known. Not just that, he has won accolades for his activities to offer help to Parkinson’s disease sufferers. The cause caught his attention when he got diagnosed with it in 1991, at the age of 29. Gathering his courage, he did not let that subdue his professional aspirations. He went ahead to help others deal with it in a better way. He set up Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2000 and started many fund-raising campaigns in that pursuit.
Wendy Williams (Graves’ Disease)
Wendy Williams’ fans went through heartbreak when they came to know about her struggle against Graves’ disease. She opened about it and pointed to her deteriorating health conditions. Not just that, it also attributed her bulgy eyes to it. To get it under control, it was time for her to go on a three-week break. Thus, the show had to roll up to let her focus on her health. She looks forward to a bounce back and has also encouraged people to accept it and come forward to discuss it.
Selma Blair (Multiple Sclerosis)
Selma Blair lost the sensation in her left leg in 2018 when she was on the ramp for designer Christian Siriano in a New York Fashion Week show. Finally, in August 2018, she got diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Eventually, she had to break away from the spotlight and give time to her health. But she emerged as an inspiration for others by walking down the red carpet in February 2019 at Vanity Fair. She veiled her struggle by carrying a matching cane and sprinkling her charm around.
Pink (Asthma)
Well, David Beckham is not alone to leave souls surprised despite his asthma. The iconic singer Pink was diagnosed with the condition in her childhood. Since then, she has been challenging it that at various moments of her life. She has performed without letting her fans catch her asthma fact. She brought that to the light in 2009 to encourage others to overcome their fears. She has used various ways to get herself ready for her high on energy performances over the years.
