Though their day-to-day lives may be wildly different from ours, celebrities still have much in common with us — including managing chronic conditions, trying promising new medications, and battling life-threatening diseases.
Here’s a tribute to the famous people who shared their health scares, struggles, and successes with us in 2024.
Kate Middleton Revealed Her Cancer Diagnosis
Catherine, the Princess of Wales, announced in March that she had been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer for which she had undergone abdominal surgery. The former Kate Middleton later revealed she was receiving “preventative” chemotherapy.
“As she is only 42 years old, this is another concerning example of the rising rate of cancer among adults under the age of 50,” says Kimmie Ng, MD, MPH, an oncologist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. “There is an urgent need for research into the causes of this uptick.”
Catherine completed chemotherapy in September and has since returned to public life. “Doing what I can to stay cancer-free is now my focus,” she announced in a video message posted to X.
Shannen Doherty Passed Away From Breast Cancer
Actress Shannen Doherty, famous for her role on the ‘90s TV series Beverly Hills 90210, passed away in July at the age of 53 from stage 4 breast cancer. After first being diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in 2014, Doherty underwent numerous treatments, and for a time was in remission. But her cancer eventually returned, spreading to her brain and then her bones.
Lance Bass Has Type 1.5 Diabetes
In July, NSYNC member Lance Bass disclosed he has type 1.5 diabetes, also called latent autoimmune diabetes of adults (LADA), after originally receiving a misdiagnosis of type 2. “When I was first diagnosed [with type 2 diabetes], I had a difficult time getting my glucose levels under control even though I made adjustments to my diet, my medications, and my workout routine,” Bass said on Instagram.
Unlike type 2 diabetes, which can sometimes improve with lifestyle changes, type 1.5 diabetes can continue to progress even when someone is at a healthy weight, eats well, and gets plenty of exercise. LADA also often doesn’t respond to medications for type 2 diabetes, so getting a proper diagnosis is key to managing this disease.
Whoopi Goldberg Said She Used Mounjaro for Weight Loss
Speculation about which famous people have transformed their bodies by using popular weight loss and diabetes drugs is still going strong. Among the celebrities to reveal this source for weight loss success in 2024 is the actress and talk show host Whoopi Goldberg, who said the drug Mounjaro (tirzepatide) helped her after steroids prescribed to treat pneumonia led to weight gain.
She also pointed out the harm of gossiping about people’s weight: “Maybe the key is to stop judging everybody. Maybe that’s the key.”
Jenna Fischer Revealed Her Breast Cancer Diagnosis
Jenna Fischer, who played Pam Beesly on The Office, announced in October she was in remission from early-stage breast cancer after undergoing surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Fischer had been diagnosed with what’s known as triple-positive breast cancer, an aggressive type that fortunately responds well to treatment.
In a heartfelt Instagram post, Fischer urged her followers not to put off mammograms. Her tumor was so small it couldn’t be felt in a physical exam, and when her mammogram was inconclusive because of her dense breast tissue, a follow-up ultrasound detected the malignancy. “If I had waited six months longer, things could have been much worse,” she said on Instagram.
Celine Dion Documentary Gave an Intimate Look at Stiff Person Syndrome
In the documentary I Am: Celine Dion, which debuted in June, the superstar singer gave an in-depth look at her life with stiff person syndrome, a rare neurological condition that can lead to muscle spasms which cause “severe, 10 out of 10 pain,” says Sarah Wesley, MD, MPH, a neurologist who specializes in inflammatory disorders at Columbia University in New York City. Stiff person syndrome is also difficult to diagnose — in Dion’s case, it took 17 years to get a correct diagnosis.
Despite her ongoing struggles, Dion, 56, voiced her commitment to getting back on stage, which she did in a triumphant performance during the opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympics in Paris in July. “If I can’t run, I’ll walk. If I can’t walk, I’ll crawl. But I won’t stop,” she said in the film.
Wendy Williams Was Diagnosed With Dementia and Aphasia
Daytime talk show host Wendy Williams was diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), according to a statement released by her care team in February. Aphasia is a condition characterized by the sudden loss of the ability to communicate, while FTD is an aggressive and incurable type of cognitive deterioration that can cause problems with behavior and language.
Toby Keith Died From Stomach Cancer
Country music star Toby Keith passed away in February at the age of 62 from stomach cancer. Keith was diagnosed in 2021, and had undergone six months of chemotherapy to treat the disease.
Stomach cancer is relatively rare in the United States, compared with more common cancers like breast or lung cancer. Chronic heartburn, though, raises the risk of this condition. “Long-term acid reflux can damage the esophagus and may lead to a condition called Barrett esophagus, which can be a precursor to esophageal cancer,” says Zev Wainberg, MD, a professor of medicine at the University of California Los Angeles and co-director of the UCLA GI Oncology program in Los Angeles.
Because stomach cancer is so uncommon, there is no universal screening for it. When it is diagnosed, it’s often at a later, more deadly stage.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Got a Pacemaker
Schwarzenegger said it went against his Austrian upbringing to talk about medical issues, but that he wanted to be transparent with his fans. “I’ve gotten so many messages and emails from people who were born with a bicuspid aortic valve, like me, telling me that talking about my valve replacement surgeries has given them courage and hope to deal with their own,” he said on his podcast.
Daisy Ridley Talked About Her Graves’ Disease Diagnosis
After completing a demanding film role, actress Daisy Ridley, 32, thought it was just stress causing her fatigue, racing heartbeat, weight loss, and hand tremors. But after being referred to an endocrinologist, she discovered she has Graves’ disease, a rare condition in which the body makes too much thyroid hormone.
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