Last week, Justin Bieber announced the cancellation of his Justice Tour shows in New York and Toronto after being diagnosed with the Ramsay Hunt Syndrome. The Peaches singer took to Instagram and shared a video updating his fans about his condition, with a visible facial paralysis on the left side of his face. “The nerve in my ear and facial nerves have caused my face to have paralysis. You can see this eye is not blinking. I can’t smile on this side of my face. This nostril will not move,” he disclosed, explaining his diagnosis in detail. With one quick Internet search, you will know that the Ramsay Hunt syndrome is a rare neurological disorder that occurs when the varicella-zoster virus infects a nerve in the head near the inner ear. Although, in a recent update, Justin reassured his fans that he’s on the road to recovery and is trying to stay positive in these uncertain times.
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Celebrities often paint this aspirational life which is laced with glamour, luxuries and beauty standards that are beyond attainable—it is humanising to see when people who are generally placed on this godly pedestal break free from this larger-than-life image and talk about their personal battles. Every aspect of their life is already out for public consumption, keeping such sensitive information to themselves is understandable. But when they choose to speak about these vulnerabilities, they don’t just create awareness, they unknowingly empower those who are already fighting these battles silently. Before Justin, a number of celebrities have come forward talking about their gruesome illnesses and how it has affected their lives.
1. Bella Hadid Lyme Disease
In 2015, supermodel Bella Hadid first spoke about being affected by Lyme disease. Caused by a bite from a tick, it can result in symptoms like joint ache, extreme fatigue and heart problems. Describing her own mental and physical symptoms ranging from irregular heartbeat, difficulty with breathing, insomnia, headaches, fatigue, anxiety, light and noise sensitivity, thyroid dysfunction and brain fog—Bella, along with her brother Anwar and mother Yolanda have been actively speaking about this disease.
2. Selena Gomez Lupus
Back in 2017, Selena Gomez underwent kidney transplant surgery because of her battle with Lupus—a disease where your body’s immune system attacks your own tissues and organs. In a heartfelt post, the actor-singer revealed that her best friend and fellow actor Francia Raisa donated her kidney when Selena faced health complications and cancelled her tour. Selena has been public about her journey with Lupus and how it has affected her physical and mental health—she even went through rounds of chemotherapy to fight the effect of this autoimmune illness.
3. Sarah Hyland Dysplasia
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Modern Family’s Hayley Dunphy a.k.a Sarah Hyland underwent her first kidney transplant donated by her father in 2012, because of her dysplasia diagnosis. But in 2018, her body rejected the previous transplant and the actor had to undergo another surgery, which had a drastic effect on her mental health. “I was very depressed. When a family member gives you a second chance at life, and it fails, it almost feels like it’s your fault. It’s not. But it does,” she said in an interview. The actor has been very vocal about the brutal hardships that came with this disease, while also lending a helping hand to those looking for a support system.
4. Halsey Endometriosis
5. Hailey Bieber Mini-Stroke
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Recently, during a regular morning and breakfast routine with her husband Justin Bieber, supermodel Hailey Bieber was rushed to the hospital after she suffered from a mini-stroke. She suffered from a small blood clot in her brain that was categorised as a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA). In a detailed YouTube video addressing her concerned fans about her health issue, she spoke about facial drooping and the inability to speak coherently during the time frame of the stroke. Hailey was later diagnosed with a patent foramen ovale or PFO, a small opening in the heart that didn’t close the way it should after birth. According to the doctors, it caused the blood clot to move from her heart to her brain and led to her mini-stroke. She underwent a procedure to deal with this and is now recovering fully.
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