Stars Who’ve Opened Up About Their Health Scare

by

Despite being known for making people laugh, Kenan Thompson’s recent health issue with non-erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is no joking matter. The popular Saturday Night Live cast member has been sharing his personal experience with this condition. In an interview with Voquenza, the company behind the medication he uses to manage his GERD, Kenan admitted, “Though GERD may sound amusing, it’s far from a laughing matter for me.” He began noticing problems after experiencing recurring heartburn.

The comedian mentioned experiencing recurring, intense chest discomfort at night, which disturbed his sleep. He also noted that waking up early for work the next day was far from pleasant under these circumstances. Moreover, he explained that due to his demanding job that involves singing and shouting, this chest discomfort was affecting his voice, making it hoarse occasionally. In Kenan’s words, “It’s challenging to perform comedy when you don’t feel at your best.

Despite the fact that work wasn’t particularly funny or enjoyable, he adapted to the challenges as his usual routine. In an interview with People on April 4, the former star of Kenan & Kel described it as a situation where he had to endure silently, unsure if he needed to consult a doctor about it.

After finally consulting with a healthcare specialist, he was diagnosed with GERD in 2024. This prompted him and his doctor to explore and establish a suitable treatment plan and routine for him.

He expressed his well-being by saying, “I feel fantastic,” to the media outlet. “My life has taken a turn for the better regarding my daily routines, food choices, and overall lifestyle. I’m doing well.”

Kenan isn’t an exception among stars who have openly discussed their health challenges. He is part of a long list of celebrities who’ve shared their experiences.

Adam Devine revealed that the injuries he suffered at age 11, following an accident involving a cement truck, continue to impact his health up until now.

Devine shared during an episode of the In Depth With Graham Bensinger podcast in 2025 that he’s been going through a difficult time. He explained that he has experienced constant spasms throughout his body and was informed by doctors that he might not survive, even suggesting his death could occur within the past year.

He observed that the pain fluctuates, mentioning, “There are some oddities and inconsistencies in my body.

Previously part of Bachelor Nation, this individual revealed that he had to seek medical help by crawling on all fours because of intense lower back pain which worsened during a camping journey with a companion in an RV.

At this moment, from my knees to my toes, I’m experiencing a strange tingling sensation, which is quite unusual.” To give you an idea, it’s been just a few weeks, perhaps a month, since I was squatting around 295 pounds. Now, I can’t even do a simple squat on one leg; I lose balance and it feels like I’ve had a stroke or something similar.

But with the help of a back specialist and some steroids, he added, “We’re on the mend.”

In a game played in December 2024, an AHL player was accidentally injured when another player’s skate sliced him open. He needed 25 stitches to close the wound. Later, when his father, New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald, spoke to ESPN after his son had fully recovered, he expressed gratitude and said, “We feel incredibly fortunate. I wouldn’t want that happening to any parent.

In March 2025, Gina Kirschenheiter from “Real Housewives of Orange County” revealed that her former spouse, Matt Kirschenheiter, had experienced a heart attack. Fortunately, he made it through this challenging incident.

In March 2025, during a New York Knicks basketball game, the main actor from 30 Rock had an unexpected health issue, causing him to be moved from Madison Square Garden in a wheelchair.

On the next day, the comedian posted an update on social media, explaining it was food poisoning and he was recovering well.

In February 2025, an actress from Even Stevens disclosed that she had been accidentally shot in the face during a trip where they were celebrating her husband Brendan Rooney’s birthday by shooting clay pigeons.

In a post on Instagram, she shared that another person at our gathering accidentally discharged their firearm incorrectly, striking me in the face. Without hesitation, @thebrendanrooney took charge, evaluated my injuries, and swiftly transported me to the hospital. The bullet hit me in five spots; one was just a tiny fraction of an inch away from directly hitting my right eye.

The former star of “Kim Possible” added, “Regrettably, a piece became stuck near my eye and it’s not safe for surgery right now. However, doctors are keeping a close watch on me, and I can currently see just fine.

She expressed her heartfelt gratitude for merely being alive, stating, “My affection for my daughters, husband, family, and friends runs incredibly deep.” She went on to share that she had a chilling experience where she felt her life pass before her, emphasizing the importance of cherishing the people close to us. She strongly advised that one should seize any opportunity to embrace loved ones, as life can unexpectedly transform in a heartbeat.

Despite the internet often being harsh, Amy Schumer is grateful that this time it provided her with valuable insights. She explained on an episode of Call Her Daddy in January 2025, “After a flurry of interviews, I said, ‘Everyone, calm down,’ but then doctors began commenting and suggesting I might have Cushing syndrome.” Surprised to be criticized by medical professionals, she thought, “It seems I’m being trolled by doctors!”

Upon learning that the doctors believed her symptoms could be due to elevated cortisol levels or steroid injections, Amy realized, “I’ve been receiving these steroid injections for my scars.” Having undergone a breast reduction and C-section, she had been getting these injections.

“So it was the internet that led me to discover I have Cushing syndrome, which I wouldn’t have known otherwise,” Amy said. Now, she is simply relieved that she’s healthy, as she shared in her February 2024 News Not Noise newsletter, “The news that I have a type of Cushing that will resolve on its own and that I’m healthy was the best news I could ever imagine.

In March 2022, Hailey Bieber faced a terrifying ordeal during breakfast with her husband Justin Bieber. She began exhibiting symptoms similar to a stroke, such as slurred speech and facial drooping. When Justin asked if she was okay, Hailey couldn’t respond due to the sudden onset of symptoms.

A month later, Hailey shared her experience in a YouTube video. After experiencing temporary loss of function (TIA) due to a small blood clot in her brain, she went to the hospital for checkups. The medical team discovered a hole in her heart called patent foramen ovale (PFO). The blood clot had reportedly traveled through this hole into her heart, escaped, and moved to her brain, causing the TIA.

Hailey underwent a successful procedure to close the PFO and reported feeling much better since then.

In the same year when Hailey went through her health predicament, Justin Bieber also encountered a similar issue. Specifically, in June 2022, the “Baby” singer revealed that he had been diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, which resulted in temporary paralysis of certain facial muscles and led to the cancellation of the rest of his Justice World Tour.

Justin explained on Instagram at the time that the condition stemmed from a virus attacking nerves in his ear and face, causing one-sided facial paralysis. As viewers could see, he couldn’t blink one eye, smile on one side of his face, or move the nostril on the affected side.

In fact, Justin told his fans that eating had become increasingly difficult for him. However, after some time, the paralysis subsided.

Hailey shared on a June 2022 episode of Good Morning America that Justin was recovering well and feeling much better. Although it was a frightening and seemingly random incident, she expressed her relief that he would be okay.

Initially keeping his April 2023 hospitalization a private matter, Jamie Foxx eventually shared his experiences in his 2024 Netflix special titled “What Had Happened Was…”. In Atlanta, the Academy Award winner described feeling a severe headache and asking for an aspirin. Before he could receive it, he fainted and lost consciousness for approximately twenty days.

Upon being examined by a doctor who administered a cortisone shot and sent him home, his sister Deidra Dixon drove him to another hospital where they discovered the cause: a brain bleed resulting in a stroke. After undergoing surgery on the 20th day, Jamie woke up May 4 in a wheelchair, unable to walk. He then traveled to Chicago for rehabilitation and therapy.

“I want to express my gratitude for every prayer,” he said, “as I believe I needed each one of them.

Emilia Clarke, famously known for her role in Game of Thrones, filmed intense battle scenes. However, in 2019, she penned an essay in The New Yorker titled “A Battle for My Life.” In this piece, she recounted a harrowing experience at the gym where she was struck by a severe headache. As she made her way to the restroom, she became violently ill and the pain worsened, leading her to suspect brain damage.

Rushed to the hospital for a scan, she received the grim diagnosis of a subarachnoid hemorrhage, a type of stroke caused by bleeding in the brain. She had suffered an aneurysm, an arterial rupture. The immediate surgery to seal the aneurysm was excruciatingly painful for her.

During recovery, she experienced aphasia and found herself muttering nonsensical words. A week later, the aphasia subsided, and she left the hospital after a month’s stay. Unfortunately, a 2013 brain scan revealed a growth that had doubled in size, necessitating another surgery.

“When they woke me, I was screaming in pain,” she wrote. “The procedure had failed. I had a massive bleed and the doctors made it clear that my chances of survival were slim if they didn’t operate again. This time they needed to access my brain through the traditional method—my skull.”

Fortunately, Emilia is now reportedly in full recovery.

Cori Broadus, Snoop Dogg’s daughter, expresses her gratitude towards her family for their support during a challenging period. After experiencing a severe stroke in January 2024, her loved ones swiftly gathered around her.

Upon realizing she had suffered a stroke, Cori reached out to them via text and shared an image of her condition with TopMob News correspondent Will Marfuggi in December 2024. As a result, everyone rushed to help her.

Due to additional health complications, such as lupus affecting her kidneys, Cori’s hospital stay was prolonged beyond what she had initially anticipated.

“I could have been discharged after my stroke,” the star of ‘Snoop’s Fatherhood: Cori and Wayne’s Story’ continued. “However, my lupus wasn’t responding well, and my kidneys were failing. There was a lot happening.”

Today, Cori is making progress in her recovery.

“I’m doing well,” she shared. “I just had to work on regaining some motor skills, but other than that, I was fine.

During her twenties, the health of Shailene Woodley was challenging. She experienced issues such as losing hearing, struggling to walk without needing long periods of rest, and stomach discomfort from almost everything she ate. Her condition was complex, with various doctors offering different diagnoses.

To find answers, Shailene—who has a background in holistic medicine and herbalism—decided to consult both conventional medical professionals (MDs) and independent healers. This journey lasted for approximately ten years during which she grappled with physical discomfort that led to fear of food, body dysmorphia, confusion about identity, and feelings of insecurity and uncertainty regarding safety within her own body.

After addressing both her physical and mental health issues, Shailene is now feeling much better and can happily say that she is healthy.

Read More

2025-04-08 18:17