On Wednesday, an interview with Billboard magazine revealed that Selena Gomez has lupus and underwent chemotherapy for the disease. The 23-year-old singer/actress bravely opened up about her struggles and told the mag, "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." Ever since letting the world in on her lupus diagnosis, fans have been supporting her by sending her kind words and creating the hashtag #WeAreHereForYouSelena on Twitter. Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that cannot be cured, however that doesn't mean there aren't people trying to find a cure. If that isn't enough, there are many individuals, organizations, and even celebrities raising lupus awareness as a way to battle the disease.
Actually, many famous faces have teamed with the Lupus Foundation of America, an organization dedicated in "solving the mystery of lupus." According to the official website, this foundation is the "only national force" devoting its time and energy in the hopes of finding a cure and helping those personally affected by lupus. There are also many celebs doing the exact same thing, including these six celebrities, among many, who've given a helping hand to both the Lupus Foundation and those dealing with the disease.
1. Ian Harding
The Pretty Little Liars actor is a huge advocate for Lupus, and mainly because his mom has lupus. He's worked closely with the Lupus Foundation of America, participated in the Walk to End Lupus, and even launched a CrowdRise campaign to raise money. As he told People in 2015, "I decided to do this because I can't put on a lab coat because god knows I can barely count — that's not my job in this world. My job is to entertain people, hopefully make people happy, and raise enough money for the really important people who are going to find a cure."
2. Felicia Day
In March 2015, the Supernatural fan-favorite helped raise over $160,000 for lupus and her friend Maurissa Tancharoen Whedon (Joss Whedon's sister-in-law), who is living with lupus. Day's also appeared in videos for the Lupus Foundation of America to help raise awareness, which you can watch at the end of this post.
3. Whoopi Goldberg
On more than one occasion, The View co-host has spoken about lupus, attended events, and even teamed up with the Lupus Foundation of America. As you can watch in this PSA, Whoopi Goldberg educates others about the disease, all while encouraging people to lend a helping hand. In 2012, Goldberg was honored by the Lupus Foundation of America for her dedication and hard work.
4. Cast of Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Most of the cast of ABC's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has and continues to join forces with the Lupus Foundation of America, including Clark Gregg, Ming-Na Wen, Brett Dalton, Chloe Bennet, Adrianne Palicki, Henry Simmons, and many others. They've even participated in PSAs and spread awareness across social media.
5. Abby Lee Miller
The Dance Moms star is an avid lupus supporter. She is listed as a "celebrity supporter" on the Lupus Foundation of America's official website and she even appears in the PSA for lupus posted below.
6. Tim Gunn
Like pretty much every celebrity listed above, Project Runway's Tim Gunn has also teamed with the Lupus Foundation of America. In 2015, he even served as Master of Ceremonies at the New York Bag Ladies Luncheon, which raised nearly $400,000 for lupus.
It's great to see so many famous faces coming together for an important cause. With that said, here's a PSA for the Lupus Foundation of America featuring all the celebrities mentioned, who are doing all kinds of good for those battling the disease.
