Lyme disease is often mislabeled as a condition that only hikers or dog owners need to be cautious of, but it is actually a stealthy, hard-to-diagnose ailment that has even affected Hollywood and the music industry. So the reaction was pretty fast when Justin Timberlake shared his own Lyme experience, and people got reminded by that fact how serious and unpredictable this disease is. These are the 10 stars who, through their fight, have shown strength, openness, and, in most instances, as a result of their suffering, have become involved in the disease awareness movement.
10. Bella Hadid
Supermodel Bella Hadid has never hesitated to discuss her decades-long battle with Lyme disease, which she suffers alongside her mom, Yolanda. She’s shared candidly on the daily treatments, injections, and fatigue of the illness, describing it as “invisible suffering.” In spite of the hardship, Bella has stated that the process has given her insight and appreciation. Her candor has helped to normalize discussions about chronic illness within the fashion world.
9. Kathleen Hanna
The punk rock icon and Le Tigre singer spent years being misdiagnosed with everything from lupus to MS before finally figuring out Lyme was the real villain. At her worst, Hanna was unable to move or talk. After two years of aggressive treatment, she started to get better. Her tale demonstrates just how frequently Lyme is missed and how much it takes to take back control.
8. Thalía Mottola
The Mexican pop sensation fought against debilitating exhaustion following the birth of her child in 2007. The doctors at first thought it was postpartum depression, but she later discovered that she had Lyme disease. Following aggressive treatment for years, she recovered fully and has ever since leveraged her popularity to spread awareness on how easily the disease is misdiagnosed.
7. Daryl Hall
The Hall & Oates vocalist had to cut short a tour in 2005 when Lyme disease symptoms struck with a vengeance. He subsequently disclosed that several tick bites throughout his life had resulted in extreme reactions, such as tremors and allergy attacks. With specialized medical treatment, Hall recovered, and now he encourages everyone with unexplained, changing symptoms to get Lyme testing.
6. Jamie-Lynn Sigler
Only 19 years old, “Sopranos” actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler was diagnosed with Lyme disease at the same time she discovered she had MS. She didn’t feel ill initially, making it puzzling, but a course of antibiotics alleviated her symptoms. Sigler has since spoken out for those with chronic illness and the difficulties of “invisible” disease.
5. Alec Baldwin
The Emmy-winning actor has struggled with recurring episodes of Lyme after a tick bite years ago. For a number of summers in succession, Baldwin reported that he’d get suddenly afflicted with terrible flu-like symptoms and night sweats. He was even afraid Lyme would kill him. Today, he’s careful about tick protection for himself, his family, and his animals.
4. Debbie Gibson
The 80s pop star battled for years with mysterious illnesses such as anxiety, exhaustion, and nerve pain before being diagnosed with Lyme. She lost considerable weight and suffered from migraines and numb limbs, but having at last had answers, Gibson has concentrated on controlling her symptoms and still touring and performing.
3. Tommy Hilfiger
Fashion empire owner Tommy Hilfiger has penned his decades-long fight against Lyme in his memoir Bite Me. Bitten as a child, he lived for years misdiagnosed before finally discovering the truth. Hilfiger has described how unpredictable the disease is—some days operational, other days bedridden. His account highlights the emotional cost Lyme can exact.
2. Kelly Osbourne
Osbourne disclosed she had been unwittingly suffering from Lyme for years after being bitten by a tick while visiting her family’s animal sanctuary in England. She has called the pain “traveling” around her body and admitted the long journey to diagnosis made her wary of coming forward. Nowadays, she urges others to have faith in their intuition and fight for answers if something doesn’t seem right.
1. Justin Timberlake
The pop icon stunned fans when he revealed that Lyme disease had been plaguing him during his Forget Tomorrow world tour. Timberlake described the debilitating nerve pain and exhaustion he experienced during live shows, confessing he had thought about abbreviating the tour. In the end, he soldiered on, and his candor has sparked renewed debates regarding Lyme disease, its signs and symptoms, and why early diagnosis is important.
Lyme disease doesn’t discriminate between fame or success—anyone can be hit. These celebrities have opted to open up about their struggles, assisting in bringing to light a condition that is widely misunderstood and invisible but profoundly life-changing.