Today, May 30, World Multiple Sclerosis Day is celebrated to raise awareness about this disease, which still has no cure. The fact that numerous celebrities have made it public that they live with this condition, suffered by more than 2.8 million people in the world, undoubtedly helps to give visibility.
The actress Christina Applegate, who accompanied Cameron Díaz in The Sweetest Thing, appeared last February in what she said was her last red carpet. She did it accompanied by her daughter and leaning on a cane. At 51 years old, and diagnosed two years ago, she considers that her work in front of her cameras has ended, aware that the progression of the disease is limiting her mobility. She worked hard to finish Dead to me and now she tries to lead as calm a life as possible, since she can't perform everyday actions like going down the stairs or getting into the shower.
Among all the hands that hold Applegate are those of her friend and colleague Selma Blair, diagnosed with the same disease in 2018. The 50-year-old actress shares her journey through Instagram with her more than 3.2 million followers. followers and has become an inspiration for many affected.
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, neurodegenerative, autoimmune disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. It is the second leading cause of disability among young adults, after traffic accidents. The first symptoms usually appear between the ages of 20 and 40 and it affects more women than men. Due to the wide variety of symptoms, ranging from blurred vision to a tingling sensation, this condition is also known as "the disease with a thousand faces."
Other American celebrities who suffer from this disease are Jamie-Lynn Sigler, the actress who played Meadow Soprano in The Sopranos series and who received the news when she was barely 20 years old; and actor and television presenter Jack Osbourne, son of heavy metal musician Ozzy Osbourne, who was diagnosed with the disease after losing vision in one eye at the age of 26.
In Spain, the influencer María Pombo, 28, who made her courtship with Álvaro Morata serve as a springboard to fame in 2014, is one of the familiar faces who coexist with the condition. She is married to Pablo Castellanos, mother of one child and waiting for the second, she knows the disease well, because her mother has suffered from it for years. When she started detecting the same symptoms, she decided to get tested. She announced it via Instagram, where she has three million followers, in June 2020.
The Catalan presenter Josep Lobató, 45, had to retire prematurely from the media in 2015 due to a rare condition that caused him speech problems. It is a disorder that is part of the same branch as multiple sclerosis.
In the same audiovisual sector, Bob Pop (Roberto Enríquez), a writer and television collaborator, has lived with the disease for many years. His life is reflected in Maricón perdido, the series created and written by him.
In the world of sports, there are also familiar faces who suffer from sclerosis. This is the case of the basketball player Asier de la Iglesia, 40, and the professional paddle tennis player Mapi Sánchez, 38. Two examples of overcoming: "Sometimes it becomes difficult and it is hard, but you have to be mentally strong . Life is about falling and getting up again ”, affirms the tennis player.
