What can we take from celebrities who are lupus patients?
In my last blog post, I spoke about how lupus isn’t something I’m too knowledgeable about. Today, I want to talk about lupus in the media. More specifically, celebrities with lupus and what we can take from them.
Selena Gomez:
One of the most influential people in the world today, Selena Gomez has been vocal about her lupus journey for years now. Selena has always been a hard worker and before she was diagnosed, she would work through all her symptoms like fevers and fatigue. She shared with the world in 2015 that she was diagnosed with lupus after going through chemotherapy. During this time she took a break from the public eye and received a kidney transplant from her friend Francia Raisa which she stated was life or death for her. After some time of dealing with lupus, Selena learned to become proud of her battle with lupus. One of the side effects of her lupus medication she dealt with was having shaky hands. She later started her beauty brand “Rare Beauty” which was created to be accessible towards anyone. Selena wanted to create something with easy packaging that would open easily so anyone could use it no matter their health issues. What can we take away from Selena? Work hard through your pain to help make an impact.
Shannon Boxx:
Diagnosed with lupus in 2007, the three-time member of the United States women’s world cup team and two-time US gold medalist has never been shy to speak out about her journey with lupus. Publicly announcing her diagnosis in 2012, she stated she dealt with flares in her joints, skin, and internal organs. She always continued to fight the disease head on by working closely with her doctors and taking medication to help with her flares. She also stated she learned how to read her body. She stated in an interview with AndScape that “I actually did a pretty good job of learning my body really well and how to read it. So a lot of times my flares would come after my wrists would be really sore and really tight and hurtful. And so I knew that was kind of where my flare started, was in my joints in my wrist, and then it would kind of come on stronger.” She was always aware of any flares that arose and knew what to expect from it. What can we take away from Shannon? Be a symbol of endurance.
Nick Cannon:
While only 10% of men are affected by lupus, TV host Nick Cannon falls into that percentage. Cannon was diagnosed with lupus in 2012 after going on a trip to Aspen and starting to feel sick. He was told later by his doctor that he was having kidney failure. It later turned into a lupus diagnosis. Cannon has always been public about his journey with lupus, often documenting his appointments and letting people in on the stress lupus patients have to go through on a daily basis. Stress in lupus patients can take a toll on your daily and personal life. Cannon is the father of 12 children on top of already being a TV personality in various programs. He has a stress-filled life and on top of that he has lupus which can slow him down.
What can we take away from Cannon? His ability to go through life under stress while having lupus.
Halsey:
While performing at sold-out world tours, starring in movies, and being a mother, Halsey has been dealing with multiple illnesses ever since the start of their career. They were diagnosed with bipolar disorder and then later being diagnosed with endometriosis. The endometriosis took a toll on their physical self, often making them physically ill. This was just the start of Halsey’s medical journey though as they were later diagnosed with lupus. Halsey announced in 2024 that they have lupus and coincided the news with a new single called “The End”. In the song, they sing about how they know this isn’t the end of the world for them, but want to feel like there’s always going to be someone there for them. In the song they state, “When I met you, I said I would never die. But the joke was always mine ’cause I’m racing against time. And I know it’s not the end of the world, but could you pick me up at 8?. ‘Cause my treatment starts today.” After the song was released, Halsey made a donation to the Lupus Research Alliance. What can we take away from Halsey? Their ability to use their voice to raise awareness.
Some other celebrities we can look at that help make a difference for lupus patients are: Toni Braxton, Seal, Kristen Johnston, and Paula Abdul.