Celebrities are not excused from being victims of chronic illnesses. Below is the list of TV personalities dealing with chronic conditions.
1. Michael J. Fox
MJ Fox is a well-known film star which starred in iconic movies such as "Back to the Future." He was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at only 30 years old in 1991. However, it was not until seven years later that he admitted his condition in public.
Parkinson's disease is a neurological disorder that basically affects a person's ability to walk and move. It is mainly a degenerative disorder. Some of its symptoms include shaking, problems with equilibrium and balance, difficulty in swallowing, mask-like face and muscle pain. Usually, it develops at age 50 above but for Fox, its onset was rather too early.
2. Halle Berry
Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry is suffering from diabetes since 1989. She was just 22 years old then. Actually, she got sick while working for the TV show "Living Dolls."
However, in 2007, the actress admitted that she stopped using insulin and her category went from Type 1 diabetes to Type 2. Yet doctors say that perhaps the actress was misdiagnosed and has been under Type 2 all along. Today, at age 45, she is maintaining her diabetes through regular exercise and healthy diet.
3. Nick Cannon
Nick Cannon is the host of the famous TV show, "America's Got Talent" and boyfriend of singer Mariah Carey, has revealed that he is suffering from a form of lupus. This condition affects his kidneys, reports Washington Post.
He is just 31 years old and revealed that he was diagnosed when he had kidney failure recently. Lupus is an autoimmune disease wherein the antibodies are killing the body's own cells. It mainly affects the skin, joints, the lungs, kidneys and other organs.
4. Kim Kardashian
In 2011, Kim Kardashian found red patches in her legs and doctors diagnosed her of Psoriasis. It was featured in one episode of her reality TV show, "Keeping up with the Kardashians."
Psoriasis is also an autoimmune disease wherein the immune system of the body is attacking the body's own cells. The scales are characterized as raised, red patches with thick scales.
The disorder, which can range from a mild skin rash to a debilitating condition, can flare up for a few weeks or months, but also subsides for periods of time.
5. Montel Williams
Daytime talk show host Montel Williams revealed that he has an illness called multiple sclerosis. It was in 1999 that he admitted his sickness. Multiple sclerosis is a debilitating disease that can affect the brain and spinal cord.
In 2009, he was invited by Oprah and said, "My primary symptom is pain. I've got pain from my shins to my feet, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and it's been there for the last 10 years."
