Celebrities with links to Lupus — Lupus Trust - A Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity (UK)

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Hugh Gaitskell

Hugh Gaitskell was a British politician, leader of the Labour Party from 1955. He died after a sudden attack of SLE in 1963, aged 56, and left an opening for Harold Wilson in the party leadership.

The abrupt and unexpected nature of his death led to speculation that foul play was involved, the most popular conspiracy theory involving a KGB plot to ensure that Wilson (supposedly a KGB agent himself) became prime minister. This claim was given new life by Peter Wright’s controversial 1987 book Spycatcher

Selena Gomez

In 2015 Selena Gomez said she was receiving chemotherapy after being diagnosed with lupus. Concerns about her health were first raised in 2013, when she cancelled a tour of Asia and Australia.She later sought treatment at the Dawn at the Meadows rehab facility, with her representatives denying she was dealing with substance abuse. But the singer has revealed her break was "really about" her lupus diagnosis, adding: "I could have had a stroke."

In an interview with Billboard, the actress-singer, explained that she underwent chemotherapy for the autoimmune disease amid intense fan and media speculation (some reports said she was in rehab for addiction, adding insult to injury) about why she was keeping a low profile.“I was diagnosed with lupus, and I’ve been through chemotherapy. That’s what my break was really about. I could’ve had a stroke,” Gomez told the magazine. “I wanted so badly to say, ‘You guys have no idea. I’m in chemotherapy. You’re a–holes.’ I locked myself away until I was confident and comfortable again.”

Ian Harding

Ian.jpg

Actor Ian Harding appears as Ezra Fitz in the USA TV series, Pretty Little Liars. He’s also a huge animal rights activist and raises money for lupus in his spare time.

Ian Harding’s mother, Mary, was diagnosed with lupus in 1994, after graduating with a degree in nursing from Walter Reed Military Medical Centre in Virginia. Ian was 7 at the timeand unaware that the disease was life-threatening. Neither side of his family had a history of lupus.

Despite the obstacles Mary faced, she continued to work full-time as a cardiology nurse at Walter Reed. She was determined not to let her illness affect her children’s lives. Mary was in full support of Ian choosing to act with his life but urged him to attend a university where he could study acting technique.

Eva Ibbotson

The children's author  died on 20th October 2010, at the age of 85 at her home in Newcastle. She was best known for the Amazon adventure tale Journey to the River Sea, winner of the Nestlé children's gold award and shortlisted for the Carnegie medal, and for her funny, magical stories for younger children, including The Secret of Platform 13 and The Great Ghost Rescue.

Although she had battled poor health in latter years and was suffering from lupus, Eva continued to write. The last of her "romps", The Ogre of Oglefort, was published just a few months prior to her death and was shortlisted for the Guardian children's fiction prize and the Roald Dahl funny prize. "The thing you have to do is keep writing, the habit is too ingrained, you can't stop," she said at the time.

Michael Jackson

From CBS News ”It reveals a rare court affidavit detailing several skin conditions that Jackson treats including Jackson’s use of a powerful bleaching cream called Benoquin, because, according to his maid, “he does not like being black and he feels that blacks are not liked as much as people of other races.”

The affidavit also shows that Jackson was diagnosed with vitiligo and discoid lupus, which causes skin blotches”.

Kristen Johnston

After months of experiencing a ‘mysterious illness’ Third Rock actor Kristen Johnston was diagnosed with lupus myelitis (a type of Lupus that afflicts the spinal cord).

It was only after her official diagnosis that the actress took to Facebook in December 2013 to share with her fans the news and breadth of her symptoms, which included 'full body muscle weakness.'  'I've been really, really sick since early September... Full body muscle weakness to the extent that just walking difficult, stairs impossible and I even need a neck brace to hold my head up,' the actress shared online.

The symptoms became so much that Kristen - who currently stars as divorce attorney Holly Franklin on the TV Land comedy The Exes - was forced to take some time off from her role.

Teddi King

Teddi King (September 18, 1929 - November 18, 1977) was an American jazz and pop vocalist. In the 1960s, she opened the Playboy Club, where she often performed.

After developing lupus, she managed to make a brief comeback with a 1977 album and with two more albums recorded for Audiophile released posthumously. She died of the disease on November 18, 1977.

 

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga's Aunt Joan died of lupus complications. In an interview for the Times she was asked if she had been tested for lupus and said: “Yes. but I don’t want anyone to be worried.”

She did not actually reveal if the tests were negative or positive.

She has since confirmed that her test shows she has ‘borderline’ lupus in an interview with Larry King 2nd June 2010.

President Ferdinand Marcos

During the 1980s, Ferdinand Marcos was seriously ill and was in and out of office. He had systemic lupus erythematosus, which led to kidney failure. He was then on dialysis and later had a kidney transplant. Marcos finally died in Honolulu in 1989.

Doctors said lung and kidney failure and a widespread infection contributed to the cardiac arrest that was listed as the cause of death.

Marvelettes

Georgeanna Tillman (February 5, 1944 - January 6, 1980)

Georgeanna Tillman was a member of group the Marvelettes, who were Motown’s first successful girl group. They had a number of hit records such as ‘Please Mr. Postman’, ‘When you’re young and in love’ and ‘too many fish in the sea’.

By 1965, Georgeanna was battling lupus. As her health problems worsened, her doctor advised her to stop touring and she left the group for good but remained at Motown for a while as a secretary. She died in 1980 from the complications of sickle cell anaemia and lupus. The Marvelettes continued on as a trio.

Mary McDonough

Mary McDonaugh, best known for her role as Erin in the Waltons suffers from Lupus and when interviewed states that she thinks having breast implants in 1984 triggered the lupus as the symptoms started shortly afterwards. She played the part of a lupus sufferer having a kidney transplant in the programme ER in 1997. Mary told her story to the Lupus Trust and it has since appeared in our newsletter and on our website.