Celebrities Share Inspiring Stories About Their Health Struggles

Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the culture of admiring celebrities and worshiping their every move. However, it’s important to remember that they are, in fact, human just like everyone else in the world. While they do provide us with entertainment, they go through the same things that non-famous people go through. It’s hard to imagine anyone suffering when they have fame and riches, but the truth is, life often does not care who is wealthy, who is well-known, and who has millions of adoring fans. Six in ten Americans are living with at least one chronic condition, and that statistic includes celebrities.
It is quite difficult to live with chronic illnesses, especially since other people do not understand what it’s like. However, some celebrities have opened up and shared what it’s really like, which is illuminating and can help change the stigma around living with many of these conditions. Here are the celebrities who have opened up about their personal lives and discussed their conditions.

Michael J. Fox

Michael J. Fox was one of the very first celebrities who decided to open up about the medical condition he was dealing with. In 1998, he announced that he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, which impacted his muscle functionality as well as his speech.

Over the past few decades, Fox has been at the forefront of fundraising and awareness efforts in order to help find a cure. He started the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which has raised over $800 million for medical research.

Gina Rodriguez

Gina Rodriguez first rose to fame when she became the star of the hit show Jane The Virgin. When she was just 19, she was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease, which is a common cause of hypothyroidism. She opened up about her experience.

When she first found out, she said that she “rejected the fact that she had a disease.” Hashimoto’s causes an under-active thyroid. Rodriguez said it caused her to gain weight and experience memory issues. She combats it by taking medication and maintaining a healthy diet and staying active.

Catherine Zeta-Jones

In 2011, Catherine Zeta-Jones’ husband, Michael Douglas, was diagnosed with throat cancer. This led to Zeta-Jones depression being triggered, and she was later diagnosed with Bipolar II disorder. As bipolar disorder can be triggered by stress.

Her husband’s health suffering surely helped trigger the disorder’s symptoms for her. Shortly after his diagnosis, Zeta-Jones checked into a mental health facility to help get her life under control. She went back into a mental health treatment facility once again in 2013 to get help.

Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks is one of the most beloved actors of all time. In an October 2013 interview with late night host David Letterman, Hanks made the announcement that he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. He opened up about it in the interview.

As Letterman congratulated Hanks on his weight loss, the actor reponded: “I went to the doctor, and he said, ‘You know those high blood sugar numbers you’ve been dealing with since you were 36? Well, you’ve graduated! You’ve got type 2 diabetes, young man.’”

Jessie J

At a 2018 London concert, Jessie J began to open up to her audience in an emotional speech. She said that her song “Four Letter Word” described her struggles with infertility. In 2014, she was told that she was infertile and that she would potentially need to go through a hysterectomy.

She revealed that she has Adenomyosis, a condition similar to Edometriosis, which causes the tissue lining the uterus to grow onto the uterine role. Jessie shared her story but still hasn’t given up hope on conceiving naturally.

Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, but he decided not to let this fact rule his life. In regards to the condition, Freeman opened up and said: “I only get one life, and I will not let fibromyalgia take the joy from living it.”

He has shared that he lives with chronic pain, and it especially affects his arm, describing the pain that runs up and down his arm as excruciating. Despite this, the actor has done his best to still live his best life.

Lena Dunham

In 2018, the ‘Girls’ creator and actress shared that she was battling with endometriosis and that she had undergone a complete hysterectomy. She has been very vocal about her struggles and has documented a good deal of her experience with the condition.

In an essay she wrote, Dunham shared: “I also know that I am one of many women who grasp for a sense of consistent well-being, fight against the betrayals of their bodies.” Endometriosis affects one in ten women in their reproductive years.

Nick Jonas

In 2007, Nick Jonas decided to open up and share the fact that he has type 1 diabetes. He is one of the 1.25 million Americans who have this chronic illness. He shared that his symptoms caused him to lose weight.

When he was diagnosed, his blood sugar was above 700, way over the normal range of 70 to 120. He was diagnosed when he was just 13 years old, right when he began his musical career with his brothers.

Lil Wayne

In 2013, after being hospitalized, rapper Lil Wayne shared that he has epilepsy, a neurological disorder causes seizures. After this, he also revealed that he had been struggling with it for years but had never been open about it with the public.

In 2017, he was forced to cancel shows after he was found unconscious in his hotel room. Although rumors swirled that his seizures were substance-induced, they were proven false after doctors diagnosed Lil Wayne with the condition.

Kim Kardashian West

Kim K is known for many things, but she has recently opened up about her years long struggle with psoriasis. The autoimmune skin condition causes red, raised patches to appear on skin. When she was diagnosed, she was so worried, especially since she is in the public eye.

However, she chose to open up and share her experience as well as the treatments she has been trying. She has been using light therapy to teat the condition. Kris Jenner, Kim’s mother, was also diagnosed with psoriasis when she was 30.

Venus Williams

Tennis mega star Venus Williams opened up about her struggles with her diagnosis of Sjogren’s syndrome. In 2011, she told the New York Times that the condition caused her to experience “fatigue that is hard to explain unless you have it.”

The autoimmune disease causes dry eyes and a dry mouth as it attacks the glands that create tears and saliva. Williams said that the fatigue she experiences is very difficult to deal with, and despite trying to push through it, it doesn’t get any easier.

Demi Lovato

When singer Demi Lovator was 22 years old, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, after years of struggling with addition and also eating disorders. She opened up about her struggles with all three in an interview with Women’s Health magazine.

She said: “It’s possible to live well, feel well, and also find happiness with bipolar disorder or any other mental illness they’re struggling with.” While getting treatment, Demi has been involved in spreading awareness and fighting stigmas around mental health. She is an active advocate for Be Vocal” Speak Up for Mental Health.

Missy Elliot

In 2011, Missy Elliot opened up and shared that she was diagnosed with Graves’ disease, although she was diagnosed back in 2008. Graves’ disease is a condition that attacks the thyroid, resulting in an overactive thyroid, also known as hyperthyroidism.

Even though once diagnosed it is a condition you must live with forever, it can be managed through medication, diet, and exercise. Missy shared that she was on medication but stressed that it is important to supplement meds with a healthy lifestyle.

George Clooney

The Hollywood leading heartthrob was in an accident that left him with chronic pain that he struggles with to this day. When Clooney opened up about it, he said that he needed to beat his pain on an “almost psychological” level.

Clooney has met with a pain management specialist who helped him accept that he will never feel the same way he did before the accident. The specialist told him not to mourn the loss and helped him come to terms that his life is just different now.

Carrie Underwood

Country singer Carrie Underwood opened up in an interview with the Washington Post and shared her struggles with conception after having her first son in 2015. She shared that over two years, she experienced three miscarriages. She said that she planned on having a baby in 2017.

However, after her first miscarriage, she thought maybe the timing wasn’t right. She then went through two more miscarriages and she thought to herself: “Okay, what’s the deal? What is all of this?” She went on to have a second healthy baby boy, born in 2019.

Nicole Kidman

Actress Nicole Kidman also opened up about her miscarriages she experiences during her marriage to Tom Cruise. She shared that when she was 23, she miscarried after experiencing an ectopic pregnancy, which is when the fertilized egg actually implants outside the uterus.

In the interview, Kidman said: “There’s a huge, aching yearning. I know the yearning. And the loss! The loss of a miscarriage is not talked about enough.” She opened up in order to help normalize the fact that most women experience miscarriages.

Willow Smith

Willow Smith, daughter of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, opened up during an interview with his mother and grandmother while on Red Table Talk. She revealed that when she was at the very beginning of her career, she lost her sanity.

After her song “Whip My Hair” was released, she stopped taking vocal lessons and began questioning her purpose in life. She said that she began to spiral, only listened to depressing music, and even began harming herself.

Michelle Williams

Singer Michelle Williams opened up to her fans on social media and shared her battle with depression. She posted on her Instagram that she was seeking treatment professional care in order to help with her struggles with her mental health.

Williams chose to post this on Mental Health Awareness Day, and was proudly advocating that anyone else who felt this way should pursue help. Her openness about getting help from medical professionals is a wonderful way to help de-stigmatize mental health issues.

Magic Johnson

Magic Johnson, retired NBA legend, has been living with HIV for more than 25 years. Throughout the years, the Los Angeles Dodgers owner has learned to live a full life despite his disease. After announcing his diagnosis, he started the Magic Johnson Foundation.

He opened up about life with HIV: “I’ve done the things I was supposed to do. “And if you do that, you can live for a long time, and that’s why early detection is the key.”

Selena Gomez

In 2015, singer Selena Gomez revealed that she has lupus. The inflammatory disease causes the body’s immune system to attack its own tissues. Gomez’s kidneys were damaged by the disease, and in 2017, she had to undergo a kidney transplant.

It was revealed that her kidney donor was one of her best friends, fellow actress Francia Raisa. Gomez opened up at the Lupus Research Alliance’s Breaking Through Gala: “Maybe I wasn’t necessarily really good at knowing what that meant, so it got to a point where it was life-or-death.”

Frankie Muniz

The Malcolm in the Middle star suffered from nine sports injuries throughout his childhood as well as during his career of car racing. Due to the repeated injuries, doctors told him that they led to the 15+ ischemic attacks he has experienced.

Ischemic attacks are short strokes that span over only a few minutes. Due to the temporary brain clots he experience, Muniz does not have many memories from his Malcolm in the Middle days, but he has said that he tries to remain as positive as possible regardless of his condition.

Dan Reynolds

Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds began to feel back pain in 2011. He said the pain was so severe it impacted his sleep and he couldn’t perform without having to stand perfectly still. He went to numerous doctors but none figured out what was going on.

Eventually, Dan decided to do his own research and ended up asking doctors about Ankylosing spondylitis, a chronic condition that causes joints to become inflamed. Since he has found out what was going on, he has improved his diet and began incorporating yoga into his routine. He also does his best to raise awareness about AS.

Lady Gaga

In 2013, Lady Gaga shared with her fans that she was living with chronic pain. However, it wasn’t until 2017 that she revealed what the cause was. She let the world know that she was living with fibromyalgia in her documentary Gaga: Five Foot Two.

The condition causes body throughout the whole body, and the pop star shared intimate details of her struggles in the documentary. While admitting she is incredibly lucky to have resources to relieve her pain, she hoped the documentary would bring awareness to the condition and possible treatments.

Bella Hadid

Supermodel Bella Hadid stunned fans when she made the announcement in Glamour magazine in 2016 that was was suffering from Lyme Disease. When describing her experience with the condition, she said: “it starts with brain fog; for a while, I couldn’t put sentences together.”

She shared that it was difficult for her to cope with the condition as she was expected to constantly travel for work, which is already exhausting, but became almost unbearable. However, she chose to push through it.

Avril Lavigne

Avril Lavigne ruled the music scene in the early 2000’s. The pop-punk star opened up about the fact that when she was 30, she was diagnosed with Lyme disease. Doctors struggled to cure her, and she was sadly bedridden for two years.

In an interview with Billboard Magazine, she shared: “I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t want to relive it, but it’s my responsibility.” She also said that she that her body betrayed her and she felt “gaslighted and trapped” in it.

Julianne Hough

Actress and dancer Julianne Hough was only 20 years old when she was diagnosed with endometriosis. She experienced intense cramping that landed her in the emergency room, though she had been experiencing cramps since she was 15 years old.

She says that the disorder “can be really frustrating” but her husband has been extremely supportive. Despite this, Hough said that her “body is very precious to me, I didn’t think of it that way before. If I don’t feel like working out that day, then I don’t do it. If I want to sleep in, then I will.”

Kristen Bell

Kristen Bell opened up in a video she recorded for the Child Mind Institute’s #MyYoungerSelf campaign, in which she shared that since she was 18 years old, she has been struggling with anxiety and depression. She shared some advice to people who are also suffering.

She said: “Don’t be by this game of perfection that humans play. They strive for a certain aesthetic, and everything looks so beautiful and people don’t seem like they have any problems. Everyone’s human. Everyone has problems. Everyone feels yucky on the inside sometimes.”

Ryan Reynolds

Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds surprised many of his fans when he shared that he struggles with anxiety. Though he’s known for his great sense of humor, he opened up in an interview with the New York Times and shared his anxiety struggles.

In his own words, he shared: “I have anxiety, I’ve always had anxiety. Both in the lighthearted ‘I’m anxious about this’ kind of thing, and I’ve been to the depths of the darker end of the spectrum, which isn’t fun.”

Alyson Stoner

Alyson Stoner is known as the adorable and sassy little girl who appears in Cheaper By the Dozen and the Step Up franchise. She’s all grown up now, and she recently opened up that she has been struggling with anxiety, depression, and an eating disorder.

She shared that: “the magic begins when you start accepting yourself in every phase, not getting too attached to an image, but letting an appreciation for the magnificence of your body guide decisions in self-care. That helped me through EDs, depression, and anxiety.”

Marcia Cross

Marcia Cross, known for her roles on Melrose Place and Desperate Housewives, shared the news that she was diagnosed with cancer on her Instagram in 2018. What’s more, in 2009, he husband was also diagnosed with cancer, so unfortunately the couple were already all too familiar with the disease.

She experienced hair loss during her treatment, but she revealed that she is now: “post-cancer. All good now. Hard journey, but I am HEALTHY, happy, and more present and grateful than ever. Thank you from the bottom of my ever-expanding heart for all of your LOVE.”

Pete Davidson

Pete Davidson is a cast member on Saturday Night Live and a standup comedian. While he’s known for being funny, he shared a very serious fact about himself in an interview with Variety. Davidson opened up that he has borderline personality disorder and struggles with suicidal thoughts.

Davidson shared that he is constantly dealing with depression. He said: “I wake up depressed, but now I know my steps. I have to go outside and be in sun for a little bit, or go for a walk. It’s all just programming yourself to trick your brain.”

Alyssa Milano

Alyssa Milano, who is known for her roles on Who’s the Boss?, Charmed, and Melrose Place, published an essay in Time Magazine in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month. In the essay she shared that she struggles with anxiety and motherhood.

In her essay she wrote: “Here’s the thing about mental illnesses — you don’t always look sick, and the answers are not always clear or black-and-white. But we should not confront these challenges by placing more hurdles in front of Americans who desperately need the care.”

Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey is a pop superstar known for her incredible vocal range abilities. In 2001, Carey was diagnosed with bipolar II disorder. However, she only opened up about her diagnosis 17 years later. She revealed that she was dealing with the disorder in an interview with People Magazine.

She said that: “until recently I lived in denial and isolation and in constant fear someone would expose me. It was too heavy a burden to carry and I simply couldn’t do that anymore. I sought and received treatment, I put positive people around me and I got back to doing what I love — writing songs and making music.”

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson

Nobody can deny that Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson is an incredible impressive guy. He played college football at University of Miami, winning a national championship, and then went on to become a professional wrestler, and of course, an incredibly prolific actor.

However, despite all of his fame and success, Johnson dealt with depression throughout his life. When he was 15, he witnessed his mother’s suicide attempt. He shared that: “We both healed but we’ve always got to do our best to pay attention when other people are in pain.”

Chrissy Teigen

Chrissy Teigen is the internet’s darling, as she is always sharing her fun, quirky personality with hilarious posts on her Twitter account. However, the hilarious model shared in an interview with Glamour magazine that she experienced late-onset postpartum depression after having her first daughter, Luna, with John Legend.

She said: “I think the most surprising thing for me was that it happened three months after. I thought postpartum was, you have the baby and you’re sad but it sneaks up on a lot of people. That’s why I thought it was important for me to talk about.”

Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Julia Louis-Dreyfus is known for playing Elaine Benes on Seinfeld, as well as for her role on Veep. In 2017, she opened up on her Twitter account and announced that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer, a day after being nominated from a Primetime Emmy for Veep.

She shared that: “the most glorious group of supportive and caring family and friends, and fantastic insurance through my union.” In a 2018 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Dreyfus announced that she was officially cancer-free.

Sasha Pieterse

Sasha Pieterse, who is known for her role on Pretty Little Liars, was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, more commonly referred to as PCOS, in September 2017. Before her diagnosis, she was experiencing pain and she did not know how to treat it.

PCOS causes a hormone imbalance that results in symptoms that include irregular periods and weight gain. Once Pieterse was diagnosed, she finally understood what was going on with her body and she could begin coping with her pain.

Jamie-Lynn Sigler

Jamie-Lynn Sigler was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis when she was just 20 years old and has been dealing with the condition for over two decades. Nearly two to three more women are diagnosed with multiple sclerosis as compared to men, according to statistics.

Sigler opened up about her condition in a 2016 interview with Glamour magazine. She said that her doctor told her that despite the condition, she would still be able to live a full life and follow her dreams. She said that though she copes with MS, it does not define her life.

Bret Michaels

Bret Michaels, who is the lead singer of rock band Poison and known for his many stints in reality TV series, has been living with type 1 diabetes since he was first diagnosed when he was just six years old.

He has always been a vocal advocate of the American Diabetes Association. In 2010, Michaels appeared in the Celebrity Apprentice and went on to win the whole thing. He pledged the full $250,000 award to the ADA in order to help the non-profit organization.

Halsey

Singer Halsey opened up on her Twitter account and shared that she was diagnosed with endometriosis. She said that the diagnosis was very validating: “Finding out that I had endometriosis was the most bittersweet moment because it meant I wasn’t crazy!”

She realized that things she was experiencing finally made sense. For example, in 2015 she went through a miscarriage, which she now knows was an outcome of the endometriosis. She said that just went onstage hours later despite everything, fearing that her career would be affected.

Selma Blair

Actress Selma Blair shared with fans in a 2018 Instagram post that she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. She has since been very open about her struggles with the condition on her social media accounts in hopes of raising awareness.

Multiple sclerosis affects both the brain and the central nervous system. Blair shared in an interview that for years she felt that something was off, and even noticed symptoms for a while before getting diagnosed. She now uses a walking cane.

Ariana Grande

Pop star Ariana Grand has been very vocal about her struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). She started to experience it after the bombing attack at her concert in Manchester, England, which resulted in the deaths several of her fans, many of which were young teens.

At the 2018 Billboard Music Awards Grande said: “I want to say that I find it interesting that this has been one of the best years in my career and, like, the worst of my life.” She has received a lot of support from her fans for being so open about her PTSD.

Yolanda Hadid

Yolanda Hadid is best know for being a The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and also for being the mother of supermodel sisters Gigi and Bella Hadid. Like her daughter Bella, Yolanda has been struggling with Lyme disease since 2012.

Yolanda said that she struggled with losing the ability to read, write, and even watch TV as the disease has weakened her ability to process information. She shared on her social media: “The journey of recovery from chronic disease is a long and winding road of small victories.”

Sarah Hyland

Modern Family actress Sarah Hyland has been dealing with kidney dysplasia ever since she was a child. Kidney dysplasia takes place when a fetus’ internal structures of the kidney develop abnormally while still in the womb. Hyland first had a kidney transplant in 2012.

However, in 2017, she underwent a second kidney transplant after her body rejected the original transplant. She opened up about the situation on social media in 2017 in order to clear up the rumors that swirled around her ensuing weight loss.

Elisabeth Hasselbeck

Elisabeth Hasselbeck, who is one of the co-hosts of The View, has been living with celiac disease, meaning she is gluten intolerant. It took about a decade for her to get a proper diagnosis after experiencing many symptoms and several inaccurate diagnoses.

In 2001, she joined the cast of Survivor, and while on the show she realized that her symptoms had significantly decreased. She made the connection that she had barely eaten any wheat, and she finally figured out what was going on.

Michael Phelps

Olympic champion and swimming icon Michael Phelps is best known for his incredible athletic abilities and his many gold medals. However, Phelps shared that after every Olympic games, he would become quite depressed and at a certain point even contemplated ending his life.

He shared that it began in 2004 after he was arrested for a DUI. He later started the Michael Phelps Foundation that provides help to children with stress management programs. He wants to raise awareness to the overall situation and help others who are struggling.

Gisele Bundchen

Supermodel Gisele Bundchen opened up about her struggles with panic attacks in her memoir, Lessons: My Path to a Meaningful Life. In an interview with People magazine, she shared that she felt guilty about having anxious feelings and it would make matters worse.

She said: “Why should I be feeling this?’ I felt like I wasn’t allowed to feel bad. But I felt powerless. Your world becomes smaller and smaller, and you can’t breathe, which is the worst feeling I’ve ever had.”

Claire Foy

Claire Foy, best known for her role on The Crown, started to experience feelings of anxiety following her parents’ divorce when she was very young. She tried to please everyone and tried to act perfect and well-behaved, which lead to overthinking and anxiety.

She has opened up about this and said that she has gone through extensive therapy in order to disassociate herself from it. She said that she worked on accepting the past and that she is now able to live with it.

Halle Berry

Halle Berry is an Academy Award actress beloved by many. It may surprise fans to hear that she has type 1 diabetes. In 1989, when she was filming an episode of TV show Living Dolls, Berry went into a diabetic coma.

She shared that: “Diabetes caught me completely off guard.” Ever since, Berry made a total lifestyle change and got her diet under control in order to keep her diabetes in check. She now says that her diabetes “gave me strength and toughness.”

Pink

Singer Pink is known for her powerful vocal abilities as well as her incredible acrobatic performances during her live concerts. It may surprise you that she actually suffers from asthma, which is known for causing shortness of breath and wheezing.

Ever since she was two years old, Pink has dealt with serious respiratory issues, all due to the fact that she was born with a collapsed lung. In 2006, she was hospitalized after a severe asthma attack. She then learned how to sing from her abdomen as opposed to her lungs in order to continue performing.

Gabrielle Union

Actress Gabrielle Union opened up to the public about her adenomyosis diagnosis and shared her fertility struggles with her fans. She admitted that she had lost track of how many miscarriages she went through while trying to conceive a child naturally.

The condition is a chronic illness that causes endometrial tissues to grow into the uterine wall, resulting in heavy periods, pelvic pain, and of course, fertility issues. The actress has said that through public speaking and sharing her experience, she hopes to help others “suffering in silence.”

Karamo Brown

Karamo Brown is known for being one of the “fab five” on Netflix series Queer Eye, as well as for his appearance in 2004’s The Real World: Philadelphia. He is also a trained social worker and worked in that role for ten years.

It may come as a surprise (or not) that he once attempted to end his life. In 2018, Karamo shared this fact with fans on Instagram and said: “As a mental health professional I believe We all need to make our Mental Health a priority. Wether you’re sad, depressed or suicidal like I was… you can make it through. There is a better day around the corner with support. ”

FKA Twigs

Singer and songwriter FKA Twigs opened up on Instagram in 2018 and shared that she had six fibroid tumors removed from her uterus. The singer who is notoriously mum about her private life decided to share her experience in order to promote awareness.

She said the experience was like “a fruit bowl of pain everyday. the nurse said that the weight and size was like being 6 months pregnant. I tried to be brave but it was excruciating at times and to be honest I started to doubt if my body would ever feel the same again.”

Letitia Wright

Actress Letitia Wright is best known for her role of Shuri in Black Panther. In an interview with Teen Vogue, the actress shared her experience with mental health struggles and spoke about how her faith helped her get through tough times.

She said: “In the black community, it’s something that happens, but we don’t speak about it. I speak boldly about [depression] because I struggled with it and I tried to find different ways [to heal], and it just didn’t work. I had to look deeper to find what could hold me, and I found that what held me together was my relationship with Jesus and my relationship with God.

Wendy Williams

Daytime talk show host Wendy Williams is known for her love of gossip and sassy comebacks. However, in 2018 she revealed some personal life news of her own: she was diagnosed with Graves’ disease. She took time off from the show to recover.

She told fans in her announcement that her thyroid had been acting “all cattywampus” and said that she chose to take a short leave of absence from the talk show in order to focus on her health.

Evanna Lynch

Harry Potter actress Evanna Lynch, who played the quirky Luna Lovegood, shared that the series helped her get through her struggles with an eating disorder. J.K. Rowling told her that if she recovered from her anorexia should could audition for the role, and that’s what happened!

Lynch said: “…before Harry Potter, I was quite sick, and how the Harry Potter books really helped me through an eating disorder. That’s why it was so special because it was the only kind of light that I saw in the world at a very dark time.”

Michelle Obama

The former first lady kept this under wraps for a long time, but she decided to come out and discuss her struggles with fertility. Michelle Obama shared that she went through miscarriages as well as IVF treatments before conceiving her two daughters.

In an interview with ABC News, she said: “I felt lost and alone and I felt like I failed because I didn’t know how common miscarriages were. We sit in our own pain thinking that, somehow, we’re broken.”

Tia Mowry

Actress Tia Mowry, known for her role on TV show Tia & Tamara with her sister, recently opened up about her struggles with endometriosis. She shared her experience because she believes that more black women should speak up about the condition.

She said: “I thought I was alone because no one I knew personally had dealt with this. And then I realized: I’d never really seen someone African-American in the public eye talking about endometriosis or their struggles with infertility. And when you don’t know or see anyone else who looks like you talking about what you’re going through, you feel alone and suffer in silence.”

Jamie Lee Curtis

Jamie Lee Curtis is known for so many acting roles, especially for her “scream queen” roles and an unforgettable role in Freaky Friday alongside Lindsay Logan. However, what she is not known for is her years-long struggle with opioid addiction.

In an interview with People magazine, she said: “I was ahead of the curve of the opiate epidemic. I had a 10-year run, stealing, conniving. No one knew. No one. Getting sober remains my single greatest accomplishment. Bigger than my husband, bigger than both of my children and bigger than any work, success, failure. Anything.”

Jack Osbourne

Son of rock legend Ozzy Osbourne and TV star Sharon Osbourne, Jack Osbourne grew up in the limelight when the family starred in reality series Meet the Osbournes. In 2012, Jack shared that he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

He also shared that he had lost about 60% of his vision in one of his eyes. He decided to open up and disclose his MS diagnosis in order to spread awareness that the illness “is not a death sentence,” as he said in an interview with Today.