Written by Neia Barao
March 27, 2024 7:01pm PDT
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Let's take a look at celebrities who have been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease that affects the central nervous system and occurs when the immune system attacks nerve fibers and sheaths in the brain and spinal cord.
Christina Applegate revealed in a 2021 Twitter post that she had been diagnosed with MS. Since then, she has become increasingly vocal about her experiences, opening up in interviews and on the MeSsy podcast with her co-host Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who also has MS. Her willingness to share stems in part from Christina's battle with breast cancer, she said on a March 2024 episode of Dax Shepard's podcast Armchair Expert.
The actress knows she was dishonest to herself and others about how she felt after undergoing a double mastectomy in 2008, so she doesn't want cancer survivors to pretend to be positive. He said he gets irritated when he hears about it. Now, the only time she can say how she really feels is when talking about her own health battles. She has symptoms such as 30 painful lesions on her brain and how “angry” she is about her own diagnosis.
“When I got breast cancer at 36, I was the good girl to go out and say, 'Oh, I love this new thing.' [breasts]! — they’re all scarred and messed up. What was I thinking? My first interview was with Robin Roberts when I had cancer. I just sat there and laid there not thinking about how I felt,” she recalled.
After the interview, the alumnus, who is “married…and has kids,” “hit a wall and sobbed because it was a lie,” she said. “I think it was just me trying to convince myself of something, and it didn't help anyone,” she explained. “Yes, I started a foundation right away. Yes, I did everything I had to do and raised millions of dollars to get MRIs for women at risk. Yes, we did good things, but on the other side.'' I cried every night without my bra on about it, but I wish I could say that. ”
In an interview with The New York Times to promote the third and final season of the hit show Dead to Me in 2022, the Emmy winner revealed that Netflix is a great way to help her focus on her health during her struggles. It was revealed that production on the series has been suspended for five months. Along with MS. “There was a sense of, 'Well, let's put her on medication so she gets better.' There's nothing better than that. But it was good for me. I lost a life, I lost that part of myself. I needed to process my loss,” Christina said, adding that she was angry and “will never accept” her diagnosis. Mobility problems continued.
She also revealed that she relies on a wheelchair to get around the show's set, has trouble filming on warm days, and is unable to walk or stand without support. She said, “If people hate, [the new season], it's not up to me if people love it and they can just focus on, “Oh, look at the lame guy.” I'm sure people will think, “I can't get over it.'' Okay, then don't pass by. But I hope people can get over it and just enjoy the ride and say goodbye. [the characters]. ”
Keep reading to see other stars who have been diagnosed with MS over the years…
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In 2016, “The Sopranos” alum Jamie-Lynn Sigler publicly revealed that she had been secretly suffering from multiple sclerosis for 15 years at the time. “I can't walk for long periods of time without resting. I can't run. Superhero roles aren't for me,” she told People magazine. “Stairs? I can climb stairs, but it's not easy. When I walk, I have to think about each step, which is tedious and frustrating.”
In 2019, Jamie Lynn, who has two children with husband Cutter Dykstra, wrote an essay for Shondaland.com in which she said MS helped her realize her true strength. “With MS, with any chronic illness, the reality is that it's not just you, it's the whole family. It affects the choices we make every day, even though we sometimes resent it. , it also made me realize how strong I am,” she wrote. “That's what I'm there for [my kids] Without fail every day. “
Read more: Movie legend gets pacemaker after three open-heart surgeries
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Actress Arlene Sorkin, the original voice of the DC Comics character Harley Quinn and star of the soap opera Days of Our Lives, is representing her husband, who is suffering from a long battle with multiple sclerosis. In the end, he passed away in August 2023 at the age of 67. Television producer and screenwriter Christopher Lloyd confirmed this to Entertainment Weekly.
“We will always remember our beloved Arlene's immense and generous spirit,” her family said in a statement. “She was certainly talented, and a tenacious person, as evidenced by her tenacious battle with a terrible disease over the decades. But more than that, she was survived by her two sons, Eli and Owen; and a loving presence in her mother's life: Joyce, her brothers Robert and Arthur, and countless children, young and old, whom she took under her beautiful wings over the years.
“It's a sad day for us, but it's also a happy day,” her family said, adding, “We know how many people are remembering her and smiling today.”
MORE: 'Married…With Kids' Cast: Where Are They Now?
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In 2018, Selma Blair publicly announced that she had been diagnosed with MS. A year later, she arrived at the 2019 Vanity Fair Oscar Party and walked the red carpet with her cane.
The “Cruel Intentions” and “Legally Blonde” actress has since competed on “Dancing with the Stars” in the fall of 2022, but doctors say her body “has taken a hit.” Due to this decision, I had to withdraw in the fifth week. Thelma explained that the toil was “too much for the safety of the bones.” Selma has been incredibly candid about living with her illness, giving fans an inside look at her own life in her book, Mean Baby: A Memoir of Growing Up. 'She is' was published in 2022.
“Living with MS is not as bad as I thought it would be. It's also much worse,” she wrote, as reported by the Guardian. “My particular experience with this disease is… This means that every part of your body is affected, from your scalp to every part of your body.'' Bone marrow. If you stand up too quickly, you will fall. If something happens that you don't know the outcome of, you can't say anything. I sweat even through my clothes, but it's cold. ”
She continued, “If I don't take my medication, I lose the feeling of my body. I don't know if I'm soaking wet or if I have frostbite. If I don't take my medication, I lose the ability to speak. ”
more: Find out what happened to the cast of Cruel Intentions.
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Jack Osborne was just 26 years old when he was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS in 2012. The news comes just weeks after his first child, daughter Pearl, was born. Nearly a decade later, the former MTV reality star told People magazine that she “feels great” despite her diagnosis. “I'm doing really, really well. I haven't had a serious MS flare-up in a long time. I exercise a lot. I do a lot of jiu-jitsu as well. I'm great.”
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Former talk show host Montel Williams revealed in 1999 that he had MS. At the time, he had been battling the disease for 20 years. “I don't consider myself a patient. I'm a survivor,” he said at the launch of “My MS: Second Act” in 2019. “It doesn't make me special, but it has given me an opportunity” to share with many others who also suffer from MS. ” Montel, who founded the Montel Williams MS Foundation to help other survivors, says that every time he shares his story, “I receive feedback from people who say it has made a difference in their lives… It didn't change anything,” he explained. Even before I was diagnosed, I always felt that by not being alone, talking about it, and sharing my experiences with others, I could find others who were in a similar situation. I also noticed that. ”
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In October 2022, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” alum Emma Caulfield Ford (who will celebrate her 51st birthday on April 8, 2024) said in an interview with Vanity Fair magazine, Diagnosed with MS 13 years ago. “I woke up one morning and it felt like I had a million ants crawling on the left side of my face,” the “WandaVision” and “Agatha: Covenant of Chaos” actress said. “It was like an out-of-body experience…I thought, 'No, that can't happen.' I'm like, 'What are you talking about?' [The doctor] It was just a matter of course. It was literally kind of a nightmare. ”
The “WandaVision” actress initially hid her condition from those she worked with because she “didn't want to give anyone the chance not to hire me.” She explained, “There are already so many reasons not to hire people, reasons that even most actors don't realize: 'You look like my ex-girlfriend…You're too short. You're too tall. You look mean.'' “You're too nice. Your eyes don't match.'' I knew in my head that if I talked about it, I'd be fired from my job. That's it. ”Despite the challenges of her illness, Emma’s spirits were high. “The truth is, I don't let fear of what if, what could be done, or what could happen to others affect my attitude,” she said. “I have no choice but to continue.”
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Comedian Richard Pryor was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1986. He battled the increasingly debilitating disease for nearly 20 years until he died of his third heart attack in 2005. “MS is a very strange disease. At first I didn't think anything was wrong. It just kind of creeped up on me,” the acclaimed comic once told Entertainment Weekly, adding, “MS has been in full swing since 1990. “It started to go downhill,” he added…We take a lot of things for granted, but when our legs stop moving, we start taking a closer look at life. ”
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Ann Romney, wife of U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1998. Ann Romney, an advocate of MS research, founded the Ann Romney Center for Neurological Disorders at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston in 1999.
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Oscar-nominated actress Teri Garr had been experiencing symptoms of MS for nearly 16 years before being diagnosed with the autoimmune disease in 1999. During an appearance on “Larry King Live” in 2002, she said, “Once things settled down, I came to believe that I had MS because it was either MS or I was a stinky actress. I did… There's definitely fear and misconceptions about what MS is, and that's one of the reasons why it's so important for me to get out and talk about it.”
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Singers Alan Osmond and David Osmond both have multiple sclerosis. Alan, a member of the famous family music group The Osmonds, has the less common form of primary progressive MS. David Osmond, who has been a member of his second generation of His Brothers, has relapsing-remitting MS, the most common form. “It took me a while to feel ready to take a proactive approach to treating my MS. Ultimately, I realized I was just coping and doing everything I could to actively manage my disease.” I realized that I wasn't doing it,” David told MS Focus Magazine. “Early treatment of relapsing MS is critical to its management. Everyone's experience with relapsing MS is different, so people living with the disease will know which treatment options are right for them. We recommend that you consult your doctor to see if it is best for you.
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Canadian R&B singer Tamia was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2003. Tamia, the “Into You” and “Official Missing You” singer, first felt symptoms around the time her husband, former NBA player Grant Hill, was suffering from a knee injury. . “At first I thought she wouldn't tell anyone because I didn't know exactly what it was,” she told Jet magazine. “I didn't want anyone to think I was weak or anything like that. I just didn't want to tell anyone because I didn't have a lot of information about it,” said the mother of two. One woman has since become more vocal about living with an autoimmune disease. “Ultimately, one of the reasons I've been able to get back on my feet and take control of my health now is because I caught it early. It's important to know your body. If your doctor keeps sending you home… , keep coming back until you get the answer.'' That's what you need. That's what I did. ”
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In 2019, Everclear rocker Art Alexakis wrote an open letter to his fans, revealing his MS diagnosis. The singer and guitarist discovered he had MS after a car accident three years ago. He underwent a series of MRIs and other tests for the tingling and numbness he felt in his arm, but was later told he had relapsing-remitting MS. “The more I learned about MS, the more I understood. “It helps explain what happened,” he explained. The heat, the cold, and why I don't have the energy, vitality, and razor-sharp memory I had ten years ago. I thought I was just getting older. ”
