They say health is the greatest wealth, and for good reason: without health we really can’t accomplish much in our lives. Whether it’s physical, mental or emotional health, good health is vital for our survival and our ability to thrive. Some celebs face a variety of health challenges, some of which allow them to go about their daily lives, and in other cases, so severe that they have retreat from the world.
Here’s a look at the illnesses that celebs deal with.
Kim Kardashian
Kardashian lives with an autoimmune condition known as psoriasis, which causes the skin to erupt and produce bumps or scaly patches. She revealed she had the condition in a 2011 episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians.
Kristin Chenoweth
Kristin Chenoweth spends a lot of time belting out tunes on Broadway and you’d never know that she has asthma. The actress has obviously found a way to manage it very effectively so that she can continue to sing and dance for years to come!
Cher
Cher has been living with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) – also commonly known as chronic fatigue syndrome – since 1991. The condition produces very strong and prolonged periods of fatigue, and it depletes energy to the point that it can be very difficult to keep up with daily activities.
Alec Baldwin
Boisterous actor Alec Baldwin doesn’t talk about it much, but he has Lyme disease and he’s said that at about the same time every year, he gets hit with a wave of fatigue.
Paula Deen
Deen struggled with depression and agoraphobia for a couple of decades and she says that through cooking, she’s been able to find better health. Given the popularity of her cooking shows, it’s definitely paid off in more ways than one.
Toni Braxton
At the age of 15, Braxton was diagnosed with Lupus and APS (Antiphospholipid Syndrome), which is a common syndrome in people with Lupus. Lupus itself is an autoimmune condition in which the body produces antibodies that attack the body’s own cells or tissues. Braxton has clearly found ways to manage and maintain her health so that it doesn’t impact her busy schedule.
Catherine Zeta-Jones
Catherine Zeta-Jones has bipolar II disorder, a condition that can cause extreme mood swings, leading her to be very upbeat or very depressed. Over the years she’s had various treatments for it and she’s been outspoken about what it’s like to live with the condition.
Jack Osbourne
At the age of 26, just a few weeks after the birth of his first child, Osbourne was diagnosed multiple sclerosis (MS). MS is a disorder that affects the central nervous system, leading to disruptions in the communications between the brain and the body. Although the condition can sometimes lead to blindness and paralysis, Osbourne has a less aggressive form of it, making it easier for him to manage his symptoms.
Morgan Freeman
Morgan has been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a condition that causes pain in various joints in the body.
Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne has been living with epilepsy which causes him to experience seizures. The rapper was once hospitalized for a week after having 3 consecutive seizures. That particular incident forced him to slow down his lifestyle so as to prevent a recurrence.
Bret Michaels
In 2010 Michaels was diagnosed with patent foramen ovale (PFO), which is basically a condition in which one has a hole in the heart. He was led to the diagnosis after experiencing numbness on the right side of his body and going to see a doctor. In addition to PFO, Michaels also has diabetes.
Frankie Muniz
Barely aged 30, Muniz has had two mini-strokes in the last 6 years and he’s described the experiences as “miserable.” During his second stroke, he was riding a motorcycle and lost vision in one eye. He also had issues related to speech, where he thought he was saying words but in actuality, he wasn’t.
Sarah Hyland
Actress Sarah Hyland has kidney dysplasia and in 2012 her father donated a kidney so that she could have a transplant. She continues to work toward better health and was recently unable to attend the 2017 SAG awards because of health problems.
Nick Cannon
During a vacation trip to Aspen, Colorado in 2012, Cannon’s knees started to swell and it turned out that he has lupus nephritis. Lupus can often lead to extreme exhaustion, but Cannon hasn’t slowed down in the years since his diagnosis so he’s definitely doing something right!
Selena Gomez
Like others on this list, Gomez also has lupus and in 2015 she received chemotherapy to help treat her symptoms. She continues to manage other symptoms like fatigue on a day to day basis.
Nick Jonas
At the age of 13 Jonas was diagnosed with type I diabetes and he relies on an insulin pump to keep him going. Type I diabetes represents 5% of all diabetes cases and Jonas has created the Change for Children Foundation which works on raising money and awareness for diabetes in kids.
Robin Roberts
In 2007 and 2008, Roberts had chemotherapy and radiation for breast cancer, and then in 2012 she was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, which is a bone marrow disease. Later that year she had a bone marrow transplant and she’s still alive and kicking after her multiple health ordeals.
Pam Anderson
Anderson has had Hepatitis C, which mainly affects the liver, for quite some time and she says she got it as a result of sharing a tattoo needle with her ex-husband, Tommy Lee. Anderson also said that prior to marrying Lee, they’d had disease testing and Lee was aware he had Hep C but never told her. Luckily, the actress says she’s been free of Hep C since 2015.
Michael J. Fox
Fox received a diagnoses of Parkinson’s disease in 1991, but didn’t tell the public until 1998. He’s since created the Michael J. Fox Foundation which raises money to help fund research aimed at finding a cure for Parkinson’s.
Seal
Seal has a form of lupus called discoid lupus erythematosus which affects the skin and scalp, and in some cases, can cause sensitivity to ultraviolet light. The scars on the singer’s face are a result of lupus.
Missy Elliott
Missy Elliott has an autoimmune condition known as Graves’ disease which affects the thyroid. It is actually a common cause of hyperthyroidism and the singer first got diagnosed after experiencing severe tremors that caused her to get into a car crash.
Tiki Barber
Former pro football star, Tiki Barber, has sickle cell disease, which is a genetic condition that affects the red blood cells. Anyone with sickle cell usually relies on regular blood transfusions, and the condition can also lead to swollen feet and vision problems.
Venus Williams
Tennis star, Venus Williams, has an autoimmune condition known as Sjögren’s syndrome. The condition affects the moisture-producing glands, causing the mouth and eyes to be dry, although it can also affect the kidneys and lungs. According to Williams, the condition has led her to experience a lot of fatigue over the years.
B. Smith
Former model and TV show host, B. Smith, was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s in 2014 and she’s been keeping a positive outlook ever since. She’s said that she believes that the future will be fine and she’s focusing on making it work as best she can for herself and for others.
Halle Berry
Berry has Type 2 diabetes, a condition in which the body either produces too little insulin or resists insulin. The condition often leads her to feel tired and she manages it through a combination of diet and insulin injections.
Jillian Michaels
Fitness personality Jillian Michaels has polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis, both of which affect the reproductive organs. Endometriosis causes the uterine lining to grow on other organs and tissues in the body, while PCOS involves hormonal imbalance, which often lead to cysts on the ovaries, as well as irregular periods. Michaels uses diet and exercise to control her symptoms.
Demi Lovato
In 2011 Lovato was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and she’d had a previous history of bulimia, self-harm and mental breakdowns. She sought treatment in rehab and is doing much better now. She’s now a spokesperson for mental health and spends time working on mental health awareness programs.
Amanda Bynes
Bynes has been away from the spotlight for a while and it’s mainly due to the fact that she has bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. She continues to find ways to manage both conditions as best she can.
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga has synovitis, a condition in which the synovial membrane that sits between the joint capsule and the joint cavity becomes inflamed. Severe joint pain is one of the symptoms of the condition and it can make movement very difficult. For a busy and active entertainer like Gaga, it’s definitely important to get the symptoms under control.
Avril Lavigne
Avril Lavigne has been living with Lyme disease and she was even bedridden for five months, unable to eat, talk, or move. She is in recovery and taking steps toward reclaiming her health and life.