Lyme disease is a frustrating, devastating condition that can affect anyone. The inflammatory infection spreads to humans through tick bites, that pick up bacteria by biting infected animals and passing it on to others (usually deer, birds, mice and other small rodents), including humans. Lyme disease can be mysterious and often has become more difficult to treat, and recovery isn’t always guaranteed. So, what might seem like the flu might be something much worse.
In recent years, more celebrities have spoken out about being diagnosed, in hopes it brings loads of awareness to the disease and offers reassurance. Here are some stars who have spoken out about their struggles and experiences with Lyme disease.
See also: Céline Dion reveals diagnosis of ‘stiff-person syndrome,’ a rare neurological disease.
Justin Bieber
Amy Schumer
Ramona Singer
Kelley Flanagan
Avril Lavigne
Shania Twain
Yolanda Hadid
Bella and Anwar Hadid
Ben Stiller
Alec Baldwin
Kelly Osbourne
"I've learned to advocate for myself when it comes to my health, and I trust my intuition," she wrote in her memoir, There Is No F*cking Secret: Letters From a Badass Bitch. "If I think something is wrong, I refuse to let anyone dismiss it. And sadly, I stay the f*ck away from reindeer."
Richard Gere
Daryl Hall
Debbie Gibson
Christy Turlington
Ally Hilfiger
Parker Posey
George W. Bush
Amy Tan
"Three months after antibiotic treatment, I could write again," she wrote in the column, in which she called for new diagnosis and treatment standards, along with insurance coverage for Lyme. "I have my life back, but I am not cured. If I go off antibiotics, the symptoms march back. I have permanent bodily damage, including epilepsy, a consequence of 16 lesions in my brain."