Billie Eilish, Deepika Padukone: Hollywood and Bollywood stars with chronic diseases

The human condition – to show resilience against (sometimes) overwhelming odds - is inspiring. It is the people who epitomize this characteristic that make for the best role models. Here’s a look at some stars – from Hollywood and Bollywood – who suffer from chronic diseases and exemplify a never-say-die attitude.

The last thing on anyone’s mind when they see multi-Grammy Award-winner Billie Eilish is that she has tics. Her neurological condition, called Tourette's syndrome (TS), results in short bursts of activity, whether verbal, motor or otherwise. In a recent interview, she explained that living with this condition can be ‘exhausting’, adding that her music is almost therapeutic; when she is singing, the tics still.

Bollywood’s Deepika Padukone is one of the few celebrities who spoke up about her silent nemesis – depression – even when it seemed the stigma of the revelation would ruin her career. Fortunately, she found support and has gone on to not only work on several projects but also launch a mental health non-government organization in India called Live Love Laugh.

Disney alumina Selena Gomez suffers from lupus, an autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system begins to attack itself. At one point, back in 2017, the disease took such a toll on the ‘Lose You To Love Me’ singer that she had to have a kidney transplant. Of course the ordeal also exacted a mental toll on the musician; in 2018, she told the American magazine ‘Harper’s Bazaar’ that she considers anxiety and depression an ongoing struggle.

New dad Nick Jonas has been quite open about his type 1 diabetes, which was diagnosed when he was all of 13. The ‘Sucker’ singer wrote a lengthy post last year about his discovery. “I was 13, playing shows with my brothers… And I knew in my gut that something wasn’t right, so I went to my parents and told them I needed to see the doctor. After going over my symptoms, my paediatrician informed me that I had type 1 diabetes. All the symptoms were in line with an undiagnosed type 1. I was devastated – frightened,” he wrote, adding that he became even more committed to his health and dreams after this meeting.

Kanye West aka Ye has an extremely publicized history of bipolar disorder that sees him swing from euphoric to manic to depressive within days.

West’s ex-wife Kim Kardashian also has a condition called psoriasis, which is exacerbated by stress and results in patches of rashes. The chronic condition usually sees flare-ups on the knees, elbows, trunk and scalp, explains US-based Mayo Clinic. While Kardashian has said in interviews that her break-outs have gotten better with time, there is nothing that can cure it.

Arun Bali, Bollywood actor with movies such as '3 Idiots' and 'Kedarnath' to his credit, was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis this year. He was admitted to hospital in January because of the autoimmune, neuromuscular disease. The condition causes a person’s skeletal muscles to weaken over time.