WHEN STARS WERE STRUCK

Celebrities are icons of our societies. We even put them in pedestals that none could ever reach in their lifetime. But when celebrities succumb to common diseases or illnesses, they become human beings again, as if their illnesses brought them back to reality. They say that diseases are painful reminders that all of us are equal in the eyes of God. We could even regard it as the best equalizer! Well, with that in mind let’s see some of the celebrities / famous people here in the Philippines and abroad that was inflicted by these dreadful diseases. I hope you try to find meaning into what they have experienced.

PSYCHIATRIC / NEUROLOGIC ILLNESSES:

*Eminem – victim of MUNCHAUSEN’S BY PROXY (also known as Fabricated / Induced Illness; wherein a person, usually a caregiver, fabricates a scenario of making others believe that the one that they are caring for is sick and needs immediate medical attention). Eminem self-confessed this is in his song entitled “Cleaning out My Closet.” It was his mother that had Munchausen’s by Proxy.

*Ronald Reagan – Former President of the United States of America. Had Alzheimer’s Disease (this is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects the patient’s Activities of Daily Living (ADLs); usual signs and symptoms include memory loss, speech and learning difficulties)

*Christopher Reeve – the original Superman (even Superman was not indestructible). Had a Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) after having a bad fall from a horse’s back. This rendered him paralyzed and bound in the wheelchair until his death.

*Lou Gehrig – a famous New York Yankee Baseball player was inflicted by Amyotropic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). The disease was named after him after his death in 1941 to commemorate his struggle from the illness and for making the world understand more about ALS. ALS is now commonly known as Lou Gehrig Disease (this disease causes motor impairment)

*Michael J. Fox – Parkinson’s Disease (a degenerative disorder that affects movements). Fox is the star of Back to the Future and other well-celebrated movies.

CANCER / NEOPLASMS (The Big “C” as they call it)

*Evita Peron – The “Imelda Marcos” of Latin America (Argentina to be exact). Remember Madonna’s “Don’t Cry for me Argentina”? Yes, Madonna portrayed her. She was struck by Cervical Cancer (underwent Hysterectomy for this. Hysterectomy is the surgical removal of the uterus.). This led to her demise in the year 1952.

INFECTIOUS DISEASES

*Eleanor Roosevelt – Wife of Theodore Roosevelt, a former President of the United States of America. She was diagnosed to have Aplastic Anemia, which is a form of anemia (this means that her body is not producing enough Red Blood Cells that supplies Oxygen to tissues and cells in our body). This condition rendered her more susceptible to Tuberculosis of the Bone Marrow, which she acquired and made her prognosis from bad to worse.

*Manuel L. Quezon – Our very own President. He was inflicted by Tuberculosis which led to his death in the year 1944, just a year away from Philippine Independence, which he has been constantly fighting for throughout his lifetime. Quezon Institute, which is one of the leading institutions for the treatment of Tuberculosis here in the Philippines, was named after him to commemorate his struggle for the said disease. Tuberculosis continues to be one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in our country.

(This is an original composition. It's still not yet finished due to time constraints.)