Celebrities are just as human as the next person. Although they live a life full of glitz and glamour, behind closed doors, they also have struggles just like the rest of us.
Aside from being on the news for positive things such as career milestones or achievements, major life events such as weddings and birth of child, celebrities also make headlines when they get involved in controversies or figure in accidents, or suffer from health issues.
Whenever a celebrity is diagnosed with a rare disease or condition, the spotlight then moves from the famous personality to the health issue.
It may be unfortunate for a celebrity or any person to go through a health problem in the eyes of the public, but the silver lining is that it serves as an eye-opener for many of us.
Whenever we hear of a new or rare health condition that affects a certain celebrity, it serves as a warning for all of us to take better care of our own health.
Furthermore, celebrities' health issues also prompt people to learn more about a disease or medical condition that previously was not talked about that much or maybe even unheard of.
News about famous celebrities' health problems create more awareness about certain diseases and sometimes can even give birth to support groups.
It can also encourage more people to get involved in helping specific foundations that care for patients suffering from the same disease or conduct research efforts.
Moreover, celebrities who survive or live with certain rare health conditions can also serve as an inspiration for people affected by the same disease.
Plus, they can be great advocates for awareness and prevention efforts and can also use their fame or influence in helping raise funds for foundations working to find a cure or help patients suffering from the same rare illnesses.
Check out the photo gallery below of Filipino celebrities who have publicly shared the rare illness that has affected them or that they are still recovering from.
Na-confine ang aktres na si Ynna Asistio noong November 18, 2019 matapos makaramdam ng matinding pananakit ng tiyan. Ayon sa reports, na-diagnose si Ynna ng “volvulus,” isang rare medical condition na may abnormal twisting ng kanyang small o large intestine.
Ngayong araw na ito, sinabi ni Kris Aquino sa kanyang Instagram post na na-diagnose siya with Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria, isang autoimmune disease. Aniya, "To be specific I now know I have Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria, and yes, mine is an autoimmune disease. I am now, and for the rest of my existence will be, on high dosage antihistamines and having the EpiPen will always be crucial. Severe allergies are life threatening because of anaphylactic shock."
Dagdag pa niya, "I disclosed that I started maintenance medication to control my hypertension in 2015; I also have ongoing treatment for severe migraines. You know my life's journey. Thank you for being with me through the tears and victories. I AM PROOF, LOVE MAKES US STRONG. Because we know WHY WE ARE FIGHTING."
Ang child actress na si Rhed Bustamante ay na-diagnose na may Incontinentia Pigmenti. Isa itong sakit sa balat, na bagamat puwedeng gumaling, di umano'y nakakamatay daw ito kung hindi naipagamot.
Noong 2009 ay isinugod si Almo Moreno dahil sa sakit niyang Multiple Sclerosis. Around 2001 na-diagnose si Alma sa sakit na ito. Ang sakit na ito ay dine-describe bilang pagkakaroon ng " patches of hardened tissue in the brain or the spinal cord because of loss of myelin," na puwedeng magdulot ng partial or complete paralysis.
Taong 2013 nang mapabalitang nagre-recover na si Kim Atienza sa sakit niyang Guillain-Barre Syndrome. That same year ay muntik na rin bawian ng buhay si Kim Atienza dahil sa stroke. Ang Guillain-Barre Syndrome ay isang karamdaman kung saan ang immune system ay inaatake ang healthy nerve cells sa peripheral nervous system ng isang tao na puwedeng mag-cause ng "heart and blood pressure problems and paralysis."
Noong 2017 inamin ni Paolo Bediones na meron siyang skin condition na Psoriasis. Inilalarawan ito bilang "raised, red, scaly patches that appear on the skin. It typically affects the outside of the elbows, knees or scalp, though it can appear on any location."
Ngayong taon ay inamin din ni Aiai delas Alas na 15 years na siyang nakikipaglaban sa sakit niyang Psoriasis.
Ibinahagi ni Abby Asistio ang journey ng kanyang recovery mula sa sakit na alopecia. Ito ay isang autoimmune condition "characterized by the loss of hair due to damaged hair follicles."
Bell's Palsy--isang kundisyon kung saan napa-paralyze ang isang bahagi ng mukha--naman ang pinagdaanan ng aktres na si Angelu de Leon. Sa kanyang post noong 2016, ikinuwento ni Angelu ang kanyang karanasan: "I'd smile but my face is not moving. Good night everyone! Take care of yourselves. God bless you."
Na-diagnose rin ng Bell's Palsy ang aktor na si Gerard Pizzaras.
Taong 2018 ibinahagi ni Michelle Madrigal na meron siyang rare illness, ang Hashimoto's disease. Kuwento niya sa kanyang Instagram post, "So I have recently been diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease, along with other millions of young and older women who suffer from it." Paliwanag pa niya, "What is Hashimotos? It is an autoimmune disorder that can cause hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid. It means that my immune system makes antibodies that attack the thyroid gland. The thyroid becomes damaged and can't make enough thyroid hormones."
Noong 2011, umamin si broadcast journalist Bernadette Sembrano na mayroon siyang Bell's Palsy nang itapat niya ang aircon sa kanyang mukha pagkatapos ng kanyang live broadcast sa Davao City.
Pinaalam ni Kapuso actress Kelley Day na mayroon siyang alopecia sa kanyang intro video para sa Miss World 2019 competition. Aniya, noong 2018 niya raw ito nadiskubre at ginagawa niya ang kanyang makakaya para malunasan ito.
Matapang na ibinahagi ng multi-awarded volleyball player na si Aby Maraño na mayroon siyang auto-immune disease na psoriasis. Saad niya sa kanyang Facebook noong 2019, "There are times that I feel uncomfortable too but my confidence is greater than my insecurities. Hindi naman kami nakakahawa. Hindi rin ito sumpa. Everyday is a battle. I gotta fight 'cause if I don't, I might just stop playing."
Nahirapan ang StarStruck alumna na si Nadine Samonte sa pagbubuntis niya sa dalawa niyang anak na sina Heather Sloane at Austin Titus dahil na-diagnose siya na mayroong Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome or APAS. Ayon sa website na mayoclinic.org, APAS occurs when the immune system mistakenly creates antibodies that make the blood much more likely to clot in the veins and arteries.
Tinawag ng mister ni Miriam Quiambao na si Ardy Roberto na "miracle baby" ang anak nila na si Elijah. Sa Instagram post nito noong October 2018, sinabi niya na "My pretty preggy lady. The bump is getting bumpier! :) Still so amazed at how God is working in our lives. Miriam only had a 1%-2% chance of getting pregnant naturally at her age and condition." Difficult ang pregnancy ng former beauty queen dahil na rin sa kanyang Obstetric APAS.
Noong 2015, ipinaalam ni Kim Idol na mayroon siyang brain arteriovenous malformation, isang rare medical condition kung saan mayroong tangle ng abnormal vessel na nagko-connect ng arteries at veins sa utak kaya nadi-disrupt ang daloy ng oxygen dito.
Sa kasamaang-palad, pumanaw na ang kilalang komedyante noong July 2020, ilang araw matapos maputukan ng ugat sa ulo at naging kritikal ang kondisyon.
Noong 2018, kinumpirma ni Bea Rose Santiago na na-diagnose siya ng chronic kidney disease na dulot ng kanyang “gym life” noon. Ngayon, ikinuwento ng Miss International 2013 na nagda-dialysis siya ng halos 5 beses sa isang linggo.
Naka dalawang failed intrauterine inseminations (IUI) si Sitti Navaro bago pa niya ipinagbuntis ang kanyang anak na si Issiah Dañelle. Ani Sitti, tatlo sa limang categories ng APAS ang mayroon siya: Category 1 - no blocking antibodies, Category 2 - thrombophilia (abnormality of blood coagulation), at Category 5 - elevated natural killer cells na umaatake sa baby.
Nahirapan din sa pagbubuntis ang aktres na si Rica Peralejo bago niya ipinanganak ang kanyang ikalawang anak na si Manu dahil mayroon siyang APAS. Dumaan sa ilang doktor ang former sexy actress upang ma-deliver niya ang kanyang bunsong anak.
Inilahad ng Asia's Nightingale na si Lani Misalucha sa nakaraang Christmas special ng 'The Clash' na siya at ang kanyang asawa ay mga survivor ng bacterial meningitis dulot ng Streptococcus suis o S. suis. Ito'y nakukuha mula sa paghawak ng bangkay ng baboy na namatay mula sa S. suis o pagkain ng karne ng baboy na namatay mula sa sakit na ito. Kasalukuyan pa ring bingi ang kanang tainga ni Lani at mayroon pa rin silang vestibular dysfunction ng kanyang asawa.
Sa isang Instagram post, ibinahagi ni Kuya Kim Atienza na bago siya ma-stroke noong 2013 ay nagkaroon siya ng undiagnosed Hashimoto's Hypothyroidism taong 2009 na dahilan kung bakit nanaba ng husto ang kanyang pangangatawan lalo na ang kanyang mukha.
Ipinagbigay-alam ng aktor na si Alex Medina nito lamang July 15, 2022 sa publiko na nagkaroon ng Degenerative Disc Disease ang kanyang ama at batikang aktor na si Pen Medina na kinakailangan ng isang surgery sa spine. Nanawagan si Alex sa mga nais magpaabot ng tulong sa kanyang ama.
Nagpasalamat ang courtside reporter na si Selina Dagdag sa lahat ng sumuporta at nagdasal ng kanyang paggaling habang siya ay nasa cancer treatment dahil sa kanyang pagkakaroon ng Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia.
Matindi man ang hamon na hinaharap ng comedienne na si Tuesday Vargas, pilit ito nagpapakatatag para sa kaniyang long-time boyfriend na si Joseph Puducay, na tinamaan ng iba't ibang rare diseases.
Ang theater actor at former “To The Top” contestant ay na-diagnose ng mga sakit tulad ng nutcracker syndrome, nerve compression syndrome, at superior mesenteric artery syndrome (SMAS), na nakaaapekto sa kaniyang digestive system at kidney. Ayon din sa pagsusuri ng mga doktor ni Joseph, meron din siyang tinatawag na mitral valve prolapse. Source:
Sa panayam kay Tuesday Vargas ng vlogger-talent manager na si Ogie Diaz, ibinahagi niya na nalaman din nila sa mga test na may malabsorption problem din ang kanyang kasintahan. Kuwento ng 'Bubble Gang' star tungkol sa sakit na ito ni Joseph, “Hindi niya naa-absorb 'yung nutrients ng pagkain as well as normal people like us.”
Dagdag niya, “very rare” ang kundisyon ng kaniyang partner at maraming espesyalista ang tumutulong sa kanila. Paliwanag niya, “In total, to date. We have on board parang around 11 doctors working on the case. Kasi it's very rare, only 5 percent of the human population experience a number of syndromes nang sabay-sabay.”
Hindi makapaniwala ang actress-vlogger na si Angelica Panganiban nang malaman niya na may sakit siyang avascular necrosis.
Ayon sa hopkinsmedicine.org, ang avascular necrosis is a disease that results from the temporary or permanent loss of blood supply to the bone. When blood supply is cut off, the bone tissue dies and the bone collapses.
Sa vlog entry ni Angelica nitong November 2023, umamin ito na nakakabigla na magkakaroon siya ng ganitong klaseng sakit.
Lahad niya, “Kasi ang cause ng avascular necrosis ay steroids abused. Kung mapapansin n'yo na naman never lumaki 'yung katawan ko [laughs]. Never nga ako nagka-muscle sa buong katawan ko. So, hindi siya part ng lifestyle ko, hindi naman ako athlete. Hindi naman ako body-builder.”
Mahirap man ang sitwasyon, nanatili na nagpapakatatag ang fiancée ng businessman na si Gregg Homan.
“Patuloy ang pagiging positive na matatapos na 'yung kalbaryo dito sa nararamdaman ko, dahil finally napin-point namin kung ano talaga 'yung sakit ko.”
“I just can't believe na kumbaga at the age of 37 nagkaroon ako ng bone death. There was something dead inside me. I'm hoping na mabilis 'yung recovery ko, hopefully makapag-trabaho na uli ako next year [2024].”
Saab Magalona wanted a relaxing vacation in Boracay this December, but the daughter of the late Master Rapper Francis Magalona shared her harrowing experience of losing consciousness and vomiting in their hotel.
Saab recounted, “I had to use a wheelchair after using the stairs at the hotel. I took a long nap and when I woke up, I used the toilet, vomited, and passed out.
“I woke up to Jim screaming for help outside the hotel door with me in his arms, my soiled pants and vomit all over my shirt. The amazing staff of Discovery Shores facilitated everything from our van ride to the nearby clinic to a late night boat ride and ambulance ride to a hospital in Kalibo 1.5 hrs away (thank you Papa Gerry for taking care of all of that and even coming w us so late at night). Asia Pacific Medical Center opened just weeks ago and literally everyone here is so nice. I was in the ICU for the past few days doing blood transfusions (thank you to my mom for getting in touch w Red Cross ) and yesterday I was finally transferred to a regular room.”
Based on Saab's condition, she was suffering from Meckel diverticulum, a common congenital abnormality of the small intestine caused by incomplete obliteration of the vitelline (omphalomesenteric) duct, according to information from the National Library of Medicine.
Most of the patients with Meckel diverticulum are asymptomatic, with the abnormality discovered only incidentally in imaging studies. The most common symptom developed is painless rectal bleeding.