The diagnosis came in 2023 following a “battery of medical tests,” the statement explains, and both conditions have already “presented significant hurdles in Wendy’s life,” though Williams “is still able to do many things for herself.”

“Most importantly she maintains her trademark sense of humor and is receiving the care she requires to make sure she is protected and that her needs are addressed,” her team wrote.

Both Frontotemporal dementia (also known as FTD) and aphasia have been in the news over the last few years, as Bruce Willis has also been diagnosed with both conditions. FTD occurs when portions of the front and temporal lobes of the brain — which are associated with personality, behavior, and language — begin to shrink, according to Mayo Clinic. People with FTD may experience personality changes, struggle to use language, or develop motor-related issues like tremors, muscle spasms, or poor coordination.

Aphasia, meanwhile, occurs when someone struggles with speaking, understanding, reading, or writing. Willis stepped away from acting in March 2022 due to aphasia, his family said at the time, and in 2023 they shared the actor’s diagnosis of FTD in an effort to raise awareness of this “debilitating disease and how it impacts so many individuals and their families,” they wrote.

The news of Williams’ diagnoses come as her Lifetime documentary, Where Is Wendy Williams?, is set to release on February 24, with much of it seemingly focused on the 59-year-old entertainer’s health. Public concerns about Williams’ wellbeing date back to 2017, when she fainted on live TV during an episode of her talk show. She’s also struggled with substance abuse, lymphedema (swelling in her legs), and Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder. Williams entered a facility to treat “cognitive issues” in April 2023, according to People, and her health and finances are now controlled by an independent legal guardian.

Her team released the news of Williams’ FTD and aphasia diagnoses “to correct inaccurate and hurtful rumors about her health.” Over the past few years, they explained in the statement, “questions have been raised at times about Wendy’s ability to process information and many have speculated about Wendy’s condition, particularly when she began to lose words, act erratically at times, and have difficulty understanding financial transactions.”

In making the news public, Williams and her team hope to not only “advocate for understanding and compassion” for Williams herself, but also to “raise awareness about aphasia and frontotemporal dementia and support the thousands of others facing similar circumstances,” many of whom “face stigma and misunderstanding.”

Bruce Willis’ wife, Emma Heming Willis, has also spoken out about the stigma surrounding FTD and dementia in general. Talking to Today last year about raising her and Willis’ two daughters, Heming Willis said, “It was important that we let them know what [the disease] is because I don’t want there to be any stigma or shame attached to their dad’s diagnosis or for any form of dementia.”

Williams’ team specifically noted the stigma that patients like Williams might experience when “they begin to exhibit behavioral changes but have not yet received a diagnosis,” a time made more painful by how difficult it is to diagnose FTD. According to the Association for Frontotemporal Dementia, it takes an average of 3.6 years for patients to get diagnosed with FTD because the condition shares so many symptoms with diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

FTD is recognized as the most common form of dementia for people under age 60, and there is currently no treatment or cure for the disease, per Mayo Clinic, though some symptoms can be treated with medication and speech therapy.

Williams’ team also drew attention to the importance of diagnosis, which they said “has enabled Wendy to receive the medical care she requires… She is appreciative of the many kind thoughts and good wishes being sent her way.”

Before you go, read about other stars who have opened up about their health to confront stigma:

If you’re in your thirties or even forties, even if you keep up with your mammograms and other screenings, cancer might not be at the forefront of your mind. However, it’s important to know that the number of people under the age of 50 who are being diagnosed with cancer is increasing at a faster rate than those 50 and older, according to the American Cancer Society’s latest statistical report.

While cancer rates in the United States are expected to top two million for the first time this year, this new data highlights a growing concern among younger adults. 

The proportion of people under the age of 50 diagnosed with cancer dropped three percent, 15 percent to 12 percent, from 1995 to 2020, due to their shrinking representation in the general population, but their age group saw the largest increase in overall cancer cases. Most notable was the increase in colorectal cancer.

Why have colorectal cancer cases increased?

In the late 1990s, colorectal cancer was the fourth leading cause of cancer death for both men and women younger than 50, and now it is the leading cause of cancer death for men, and second leading cause of cancer death for women in this age group. 

The report says the rise in colorectal cancer cases is unexplainable, but notes that almost one in three people diagnosed with the cancer before age 50 have a family history or genetic predisposition. The American Cancer Society’s report also states the rise in cases “likely reflects changes in lifestyle exposures that begin with generations born around 1950.”

Other notable trends include increases in endometrial and pancreatic cancers across all age categories, and an increase in cervical cancer in women ages 30 to 44. Liver cancer has also increased in women of all age groups. 

Which communities have the highest cancer risk?

The American Cancer Society also reports that the LGTBQ+ community faces unique challenges that put them at risk of developing cancer. Notably, lesbian and bisexual women are more likely to have a higher risk of breast cancer due to higher likelihoods of risk factors, including fewer childbirths, higher alcohol use, and higher body weight. But more data is needed to fully understand their risk factors across all age groups. There are currently no active methods for collecting information on incidence and mortality exist for the LGBTQ+ community, because sexual orientation and gender identity are not consistently collected in medical records, according to the report. 

“The LGBTQ+ population has some differences in exposures that are probably pretty influential in terms of their risk for developing cancer,  but we can’t look at the cancer risk because we don’t have data. Data is also key for the development of targeted cancer-control efforts. It’s time the US fills that gap,” Rebecca Siegel, the report’s lead author and senior scientific director of surveillance research for the American Cancer Society, says in the report. 

Racial disparities in cancer diagnosis are also significant across age groups, as Black people are twice as likely to develop prostate, stomach, and uterine cancer than white people. Black women with endometrial cancer have a death rate that is two times higher than white women. Researchers say this is in large part because they are diagnosed later, and therefore face a higher mortality rate from the cancer than white women. 

How can we increase cancer prevention among people under 50?

There is some somewhat good news in all this: The United State’s cancer mortality rate fell 33 percent from 1991 through 2021, equating to an estimated 4.1 million fewer cancer deaths. Researchers attribute this to disease management and detection, along with fewer people smoking. 

“We’re encouraged by the steady drop in cancer mortality as a result of less smoking, earlier detection for some cancers, and improved treatment,” Rebecca Siegel, the report’s lead author and senior scientific director of surveillance research for the American Cancer Society, said in a statement. “But as a nation, we’ve dropped the ball on cancer prevention as incidence continues to increase for many common cancers – like breast, prostate, and endometrial, as well as colorectal and cervical cancers in some young adults.”

Lisa Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society’s advocacy affiliate, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, said the report’s findings highlight the growing need for policies that address these disparities. 

“We urge lawmakers at all levels of government to advance policies that ensure more people have health insurance coverage as well as improved access to and affordability of care, such as increased funding for cancer research and screening programs,” Lacasse said in a statement. “Doing so will bring us closer to our vision of ending cancer as we know it, for everyone.”

“During The King’s recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, a separate issue of concern was noted,” the royal family said in a statement. “Subsequent diagnostic tests have identified a form of cancer.”

Charles began a “schedule of regular treatments” on Feb. 5, the palace said, and has postponed public duties. He chose to share the diagnosis in order to “prevent speculation and in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer,” the statement continued.

What was King Charles’ recent prostate procedure?

The statement didn’t specify what kind of cancer Charles was diagnosed with nor its stage, though the BBC has reported that “it is not prostate cancer” — a conclusion some might jump to after the king’s recent procedure for benign prostate enlargement. That procedure took place Jan. 26, a little over a week after Kate Middleton also underwent a health procedure, specified as a “planned abdominal surgery,” per a royal family statement.

“In common with thousands of men each year, the King has sought treatment for an enlarged prostate,” the Palace said via a statement on Jan. 17, per the BBC. Following the public reaction to the news, the royal family posted an update on X thanking followers for sending good wishes and noting that Charles was “delighted that his diagnosis is having a positive impact on public health awareness.”

What is prostate enlargement?

Per Mayo Clinic, prostate enlargement occurs when the prostate gland, which is a small gland below the bladder that helps to make semen, grows large enough to cause urination-related symptoms, including the frequent or urgent need to urinate, peeing more often at night, and a weak urine stream. Prostate enlargement, also called benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH, is the most common prostate problem for men older than 50, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases reports. It affects about 50 percent of men between ages 51 and 60 and 90 percent of men above age 80.

How will King Charles’ cancer diagnosis affect the royal family?

Charles will pause his “public-facing duties” while undergoing treatment, but the palace stated that he will continue completing “State business and official paperwork.”

Meanwhile, Queen Camilla is set to “continue with a full programme of public duties” while supporting her husband, per a palace spokesperson in Town & Country. On Feb. 8, in her first public appearance since Charles’ diagnosis, Camilla said Charles “is doing extremely well under the circumstances. We are very touched by all of the letters and messages.”

The palace’s initial statement added that the king was “grateful” to his doctors for the “swift intervention,” which the palace says was possible due to his recent procedure. Charles is “wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible.”

Read about other stars who have opened up about health issues to raise awareness:

Stone experienced her first panic attack at a friend’s house, and recalled being certain that “the house was on fire… despite all evidence to the contrary,” she told NPR. Her chest got tight, a common physical symptom of anxiety, and she called her mom, who came to pick her up.

As her anxiety persisted, Stone struggled to leave the house or go to school and started seeing a therapist around age eight. “I sort of lived in fear of these panic attacks,” she said. Now, she believes that a trigger for the issue was her “massive separation anxiety” when away from her mother. “For some reason, I convinced myself that if I wasn’t watching out for her, that something terrible could happen to her… as if I was the parent and she was the child,” Stone said.

She knew her anxiety was irrational, but “you’re convinced of certain things with anxiety,” and especially as a child, it was hard to talk herself out of the feelings until she had the “tools” and the “understanding” of the condition, Stone explained — tools she eventually gained through therapy.

It’s not the first time Stone has talked about her experience in therapy. Speaking on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in 2017, Stone explained that “I benefited in a big way from therapy,” as well as acting and participating in improv. “I was a very, very, very anxious child and I had a lot of panic attacks,” she recalled. “I still have anxiety to this day.”

Stone now serves on the board of directors for the Child Mind Institute, a children’s mental health organization that she’s been involved with since 2017. “[Anxiety] has always been something that I’ve lived with and it flares up in big ways at different times in my life,” Stone said her first video campaign with the organization. “Sometimes while it’s happening, like while I’m in a phase of big turmoil, it feels like it’s never gonna end — but it does.”

In the NPR interview, Stone also opened up about the flip side of her anxiety and why she sees it “as a kind of superpower.”

“If you can use it for productive things, if you can use all of those feelings… for something creative, or something that you’re passionate about, or something interesting, anxiety is like rocket fuel because you can’t help but get out of bed and do things,” the La La Land star explained. “You’ve got all of this energy within you. And that’s really a gift.”

The knee-jerk reaction is to see anxiety and other mental health conditions as a negative. And while these conditions can certainly be serious and difficult to deal with, Stone wanted to challenge that assumption and the stigma that comes with it. Just because people with anxiety “might have a funny thing going on in our amygdala, and our fight-or-flight response is maybe a little bit out of whack in comparison to many people’s brain chemistry, it doesn’t make it wrong,” she explained. “It doesn’t make it bad. It just means we have these tools to manage.”

A version of this article was originally published in 2017.

Before you go, read about more stars who shared their health issues to end stigma:

“The Duchess wants to thank the entire medical team which has supported her, particularly her dermatologist whose vigilance ensured the illness was detected when it was,” the representative said, adding that Ferguson “believes her experience underlines the importance of checking the size, shape, color and texture and emergence of new moles that can be a sign of melanoma.”

The Duchess is currently undergoing further testing “to ensure that this has been caught in the early stages,” the spokesperson said. She’s receiving treatment in London and is also spending time at a medical health resort in Austria to recover. “Clearly, another diagnosis so soon after treatment for breast cancer has been distressing, but the Duchess remains in good spirits.”

A friend of Ferguson’s also told the outlet that the Duchess “is resilient and in good spirits” despite a second cancer diagnosis, which was “a shock and a blow.”

Melanoma is one of the four most common types of skin cancer. Of the four (which include basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and actinic keratoses), melanoma is often seen as the most serious kind due to its tendency to spread, per the American Academy of Dermatology Association. When caught early, though, melanoma has a five-year relative survival rate of over 99 percent, the American Cancer Society reports.

On Monday, Ferguson took to her personal Instagram to share the news and an update with her followers.

“It was thanks to the great vigilance of my dermatologist that the melanoma was detected when it was,” the Duchess writes. While noting that the diagnosis was a shock, Ferguson said she was in “good spirits and grateful for the many messages of love and support.” Echoing the words of her spokesperson, the Duchess urged “anyone who is reading this to be diligent” about checking their skin regularly for signs of skin cancer.

Specifically, Mayo Clinic recommends looking for changes in existing moles and development of new “pigmented or unusual-looking” growths, which are both early symptoms of melanoma. Look out for moles that:

Other skin cancers may present as round growths, pinkish patches of skin, red bumps, scaly patches, or sores, per the AADA.

In addition to encouraging followers to stay vigilant about their own skin health, Ferguson also took the opportunity to shout out her doctors. “I am incredibly thankful to the medical teams that have supported me through both of these experiences with cancer,” she wrote. “I am resting with family at home now, feeling blessed to have their love and support.”

Before you go, read about other celebs who are sharing their health conditions to raise awareness:

While it was announced last week that Christina Applegate was expected to present at the 75th Annual Primetime Emmys, her early appearance during the awards show surprised everyone. She looked stunning in a burgundy velvet gown with a cane in one hand and the assistance of host Anthony Anderson on the other. As she stepped onto the stage to present Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, the audience at Peacock Theater jumped to their feet with thunderous applause. 

Her 2021 multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis rocked the 52-year-old actress to her core because her career was thriving with the Netflix series, Dead to Me. After completing the show, Applegate chose to stay under the Hollywood radar until now. The appreciative response from the audience brought tears to her eyes as she quipped, “Thank you so much. Oh my god, you’re totally shaming me with disability by standing up. It’s fine…Body not by Ozempic. Okay, let’s go.”

But she wasn’t done with the humor because everyone in that theater was with her in that moment as she continued to speak. “We don’t have to applaud every time I do something,” she wittily chimed in. Many of Applegate’s peers are aware of what a struggle it was for her to complete the final season of the Netflix series. She explained to Variety that her normally active lifestyle changed dramatically, and she dealt with weight gain due to “inactivity and medications.” It also took toll on her mental health because she didn’t like to see herself “struggling.” Applegate added, “I didn’t look like myself, and I didn’t feel like myself.” Even though it took her months to watch a different physical version of herself on-screen, she learned to embrace her new normal.

“At some point I was able to distance myself from my own ego and realize what a beautiful piece of television it was. All the scenes I wasn’t in were so much fun to see and experience for the very first time,” she said. Her brave performance also inspired others and caught the attention of social media users. One X account, formerly Twitter, noted: “By the way, it was thoughtful of the director and/or producers for having Christina Applegate present the first award of the night. I’d like to see more actors with disabilities centered in TV & film.” Another fan wrote, “So inspiring to see Christina Applegate receive such well-deserved recognition despite her battle with MS. Her strength and talent are truly admirable.”

Applegate’s moment at the Emmys will be remembered for years to come because her inner strength was a bright shining star up on that stage. She told the Los Angeles Times her body can’t handle long days on set anymore, but she’s ready to book “a s**t ton of voiceovers to make some cash.” Applegate proved to Hollywood in a few short minutes that her wit is quick, and after that standing ovation, the phone better be ringing off the hook.

Before you go, click here to see the most shocking Emmy awards moments in primetime history.

“I don’t want to hide it anymore, because it’s hard to always keep it in,” Isabella explained on GMA. “I hope to just kind of be a voice and be [someone] who maybe [those who] are going through chemotherapy or radiation can look at.”

Isabella detailed her story in the interview, explaining that she first realized something was wrong in fall 2023. Then an 18-year-old freshman at the University of Southern California, Isabella began experiencing frequent, painful headaches, nausea, and difficulty walking straight, initially attributing the symptoms to vertigo.

In late October, the symptoms suddenly worsened and Isabella woke up one morning vomiting blood. An MRI eventually showed a four-centimeter tumor in the back of Isabella’s brain, which doctors described as being the larger than a golf ball.

The news came as a shock to Isabella and the rest of the Strahan family. “[She was] 18 years old at the time,” Michael explained. “You’re not thinking this [is possible] … she’s young, she’s strong, she’s healthy.”

Isabella was ultimately diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a type of brain cancer responsible for 20 percent of all childhood brain tumors, according to research. While considered rare, medulloblastoma is the most common cancerous brain tumor in children, per Mayo Clinic, though it is more often found in children ages five to nine. The tumor starts in the lower, back part of the brain, called the cerebellum, which is responsible for muscle coordination, balance, and movement.

Following her surgery, Isabella completed a month of rehab, which included learning how to walk again, before undergoing six weeks of radiation. She’ll start chemotherapy in February at Duke, where she will also film a YouTube series to share her story.

“I’m ready for it to start, [for it to be] one day closer to being over,” Isabella told GMA. At the same time, she said, she’s trying to be present and continue with her life as she can — advice she said she got from her twin sister, Sophia. “You just have to keep living every day, I think, through the whole thing.”

“I’m very proud of her,” said Michael, who is also father to Tanita, 32, and Michael Jr., 29, from his first marriage. “She’s always been so strong and this is something that is so personal, that I didn’t know if it would be something that she’d want to share. I’m extremely proud.”

Michael also said that this experience has taught him perspective. “You learn that you’re probably not as strong as you thought you were when you have to really think about the real things, and I realized that I need support from everybody,” he explained. “You think, ‘I’m the athlete, the tough guy, you know, I can come and handle, I’m the father in the family.’ It is not about any of that. It doesn’t matter. And it’s really made me change my perspective on so many things in my life.”

“Perspective is a really big thing,” Isabella agreed. “I’m grateful just to walk or see friends because when you can’t do something, it really impacts you. I’m looking forward to getting back to college and moving back to California.”

Part of perspective, Michael added, came back to finding hope amidst the pain and fear. “In a lot ways, I’m the luckiest man in the world, because I’ve got an amazing daughter,” he said. “I know she’s going through it, but I know that we’re never given more than we can handle and that she is going to crush this.”

Before you go, read about other stars who have opened up about their health issues:

Tegan and Sara Quin have been making music together since they were teens in the ‘90s, so it’s no wonder the sisters are slowing down a bit in their 40s.

The prolific indie-rock artists and LGBTQ advocates, both 43, remember entering this new decade during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. That ushered in their 40s “in a strange way that, you know, wasn’t exactly casual,” recalls Sara. In 2022, Tegan and Sara left Warner Bros. Records, their longtime record label, for the indie outfit Mom + Pop. “And then I also became a parent at 42,” she continues. “So far, at least for me, there’s something really significant about how much foundational change has happened.” 

Naturally, these personal and professional shifts prompted Sara to reevaluate her work-life balance. “I think in your 20s and 30s, time is on your side…you’re just kind of excited to be ripping through life and doing what you’re doing,” she explains. “And whereas now with my 40s, I’m like, ‘Let’s slow down.’ I’ve really loved my 40s, but it’s definitely no joke. Like, here we are.”

Tegan isn’t a parent, but she echoes her twin sister’s sentiment. “There’s a lot of searching in the first couple of decades [of your life], a lot of strife and tumult,” she says. “And then you get to your 40s. And as Sara said, you take a breather; you slow down a little bit. My 40s are like, I need to enjoy the fruits of my labor. I need to think more about what my life should be in its second half rather than, like, freaking out through my 20s and 30s.”

Granted, Tegan and Sara have kept plenty busy over the past few years. In 2022, the Grammy-nominated duo debuted Crybaby, their 10th studio album and first with Mom + Pop Music; they toured the album in the latter half of 2023.

Last month, they also released Under My Control, an Audible Originals audio-memoir interspersed with new recordings of classic Tegan and Sara cuts. It’s the latest in a series of autobiographical projects for the Quin sisters, who previously penned a memoir about their high school days. The book, High School, was later adapted into an Amazon Prime Video series.

“We’ve been in a place the last handful of years where we’ve been looking back a lot,” says Tegan. “And I think some artists don’t want to do that because there’s still so much ageism in our business, especially for women.” But she and Sara have had a blast re-releasing older songs and watching them reach new audiences — not unlike Taylor Swift, a fellow music-industry disruptor. (They’re big fans; at the moment, Tegan is on an “Anti-Hero” kick.)

Given Tegan and Sara’s decades-spanning catalog, selecting which songs to re-record was no easy feat. First, they chose the narrative thread for the project, which helped tremendously, says Tegan. Their cornerstone? “Songs or moments in our career that allowed us to shift focus or to change directions, and do things that surprised people.”

And surprise people, they have. When Tegan and Sara began their career in the late ‘90s and early aughts, they were two of the few openly gay artists in their sphere. 

“To be stuck in this genre of indie-rock music, where it was really, really unusual to be talking about yourself being gay, and then to be young women in a predominantly male, straight, cis genre, it was really challenging,” Sara remembers. At times, “it really felt like we were the only people who were pushing back against some of the stereotypes and kinds of discrimination that we were experiencing.” 

She recalls being faced with a “very binary choice”: “Don’t say anything and just ignore it, or take it on. And then it actually becomes part of your identity. You’re the band that has to always be talking about these injustices.” She and Tegan chose the latter — a decision that has helped move the needle in their industry. “I love that we were able to do that and sort of change that narrative,” she adds. “But, you know, it was a pretty big burden.”

Thanks in part to celebrities like Tegan and Sara, our culture at large has also become more accepting of LGBTQ+ people. However, there’s still room for improvement — especially for LGBTQ+ women, who face more socioeconomic disadvantages than their male counterparts. 

Enter the Tegan and Sara Foundation, the Quin sisters’ namesake nonprofit. Founded in 2016, the organization raises awareness and funding for causes benefiting LGBTQ+ women.

“[The foundation] was a huge part of Sarah and I’s second half of our career journey,” Tegan says. “Like, okay, we’re done panicking through the first part of our career, where we’re just trying to make a name for ourselves and establish ourselves. And now we’re into a part of our career where we have the ear of a lot of important people, and we have a platform and a decent-sized audience.”

“Obviously, the LGBTQ+ community is super important to us — not just because we’re members of it, but also because they’ve been such a support to us over our two decades in the biz,” she explains. 

So, rest assured, “slowing down” doesn’t mean Tegan and Sara are out of commission. In some ways, they’re doing more with their platform, and their sprawling catalog, than ever.

Next spring, they also plan to hit the road for an acoustic tour centered on their first album, 2002’s If It Was You. Although the album has been out for more than 20 years, they’ve never played the whole thing live and start-to-finish. “That doesn’t mean that we’re going to stop making new things,” adds Tegan. “But I think it’s been really exciting to revisit some of the stuff from the past because it’s [still] so relevant.”

“She doesn’t have control over her muscles,” Dion’s sister, Claudette, told 7 Jours in French. “What breaks my heart is that she’s always been disciplined. She’s always worked hard. Our mother always told her, ‘You’re going to do it well, you’re going to do it properly.'”

The Grammy-award winning artist hopes to return to performing, but for now, the future is unclear. “It’s true that in both our dreams and hers, the goal is to return to the stage,” Claudette said. “In what capacity? I don’t know.”

Last December, Dion released an emotional Instagram video explaining her diagnosis to her fans. Speaking in French and English, Dion, 55, said she had been experiencing health issues “for a long time” — including severe muscle spasms that affect “every aspect of my daily life.” Sometimes, she had difficulty walking; other times, she is unable to use her vocal cords to sing properly.

“While we’re still learning about this rare condition, we now know that this is what has been causing all of the spasms that I’ve been having,” she explained.

In May, Dion was forced to cancel her Courage World Tour due to her health. “I’m so sorry to disappoint all of you once again,” she wrote on Instagram at the time. “I’m working really hard to build back my strength, but touring can be very difficult even when you’re 100% … I want you all to know, I’m not giving up… and I can’t wait to see you again!”

For Dion, the priority is her health. “For me to reach you again, I have no choice but to concentrate on my health at this moment,” she explained in the 2022 video. “And I have hope that I’m on the road to recovery. This is my focus, and I’m doing everything I can to recuperate.”

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), Stiff Person Syndrome is a potentially disabling neurological disorder with features of an autoimmune disease. It affects the central nervous system, specifically the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms include muscle rigidity in the trunk of the body and “heightened sensitivity to stimuli,” which causes the severe muscle spasms Dion mentioned in the video. There is no cure.

Stiff Person Syndrome is classified as rare because it only affects about 1–2 people per every million, according to the Stiff Person Syndrome Research Foundation. As a result, it is often misdiagnosed as more common illnesses with similar symptoms, such Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, or anxiety and phobia disorders. On average, it takes anywhere from five to seven years for patients to get a diagnosis.

According to Claudette, Dion is currently living with their sister, Linda, in Las Vegas while receiving care from specialists in the condition.

A version of this article was originally published in 2022.

Before you go, check out the mental health apps we love and swear by:

First, some background. Flaxseed contains lignans, which are “fiber-associated compounds” found in plants and common foods like grains, nuts, seeds, vegetables, coffee, and tea, per research. They’re most highly concentrated in flaxseed. In the study, which involved young female mice, scientists found that these lignans impacted the relationship between microorganisms in your gut and the expression of mammary (milk-producing) gland microRNAs (aka miRNAs). The study found that some of these miRNAs have an effect on genes involved in breast cancer.

In the study, researchers analyzed how the lignans in flaxseed impacted the microbiota of the mice subjects. What they found was that, in processing the lignans, microbes in the gut released bioactive metabolites, which are “small-molecule chemicals produced during metabolism that influence physiology and disease,” the researchers wrote. In this case, that influence involved “antitumor effects.” Bringing it all together, the researchers concluded that “the microbiota and mammary gland miRNA are related and that flaxseed lignans modify the relationship to be non-cancer-causing.”

“If these findings are confirmed, the microbiota becomes a new target to prevent breast cancer through dietary intervention,” said Elena M. Comelli, associate professor at the University of Toronto and co-author of the paper, per Newswise.

It’s yet another reason to boost your diet with flaxseed, which is also packed with fiber to help with digestion and omega-3 fatty acids that can improve your cardiovascular health, per Mayo Clinic. We recommend adding a tablespoon or so of ground flaxseed to cereal, oatmeal, yogurt, baked goods (like bread, muffins, and cookies), or even mixing it into sandwich dressings. As more research into flaxseed and reducing breast cancer risk continues, it’s a good idea to sprinkle it into your diet when you can.

Before you go, shop these essential menopause beauty products: