List of people with lupus

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

This is a categorised, alphabetical list of notable people who have been diagnosed with lupus.

Musician Seal says he's "quite proud" of his "trademark" facial scars from discoid lupus^[1]

Lupus is a collection of autoimmune diseases in which the human immune system becomes hyperactive and attacks healthy tissues.^[2] Symptoms of these diseases can affect many different body systems, including joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, heart, and lungs. The most common and most severe form is systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Confirmed diagnosis

Sports

• Shannon Boxx, diagnosed in 2007^[3]
• Tim Raines, former major league baseball player^[4]
• Juli Furtado, champion professional mountain biker^[5]

Music

• J Dilla (also known as Jay Dee), hip-hop producer and beat maker; died of SLE complications in 2006^[6][7]
• Kéllé Bryan, diagnosed in 1998^[8]
• Lucy Vodden, inspiration for the Beatles song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"; since becoming aware of this, Julian Lennon has campaigned to raise awareness of lupus^[9][10]
• Michael Jackson, had both SLE and vitiligo;^[11] diagnosed in 1986, and confirmed by his dermatologist, Arnold Klein, who presented legal documents during court depositions
• Nick Cannon, American actor and former presenter of America's Got Talent^[12]
• Seal, British singer-songwriter^[13]
• Selena Gomez, American singer and actress^[14]
• Teddi King, American singer; died of SLE complications in 1977^[15]
• Toni Braxton, American singer, was hospitalized in Los Angeles in December 2012 because of "minor health issues" related to lupus^[16]

Stage and screen

• Tonya Ingram, performance poet^[17]
• Sally Hawkins, actress^[18]
• Charles Kuralt, former anchor of CBS Sunday Morning, died of SLE complications in 1997^[19]
• Lauren Shuler Donner, American movie producer^[20]
• Mary Elizabeth McDonough, American actress; believes her SLE to be due to silicone breast implants^[21]
• Michael Wayne, Hollywood director and producer; part owner of Batjac Productions; son of John Wayne, died of heart failure resulting from SLE complications in 2003^[22]
• Ray Walston, character actor who died of SLE complications in 2001 after a six-year battle with the disease^[23]

Modelling

• Mercedes Scelba-Shorte, America's Next Top Model Season Two runner-up and model^[24]
• Sophie Howard, British glamour model^[25]

Politics

• Ferdinand Marcos, former Philippine president, died of SLE complications in 1989^[26]
• Hugh Gaitskell, British politician; died of SLE complications in 1963 aged 56^[27]

Other

• Donald Byrne, American chess player who died from SLE complications in 1976^[28]
• Flannery O’Connor, American author who died of SLE complications in 1964^[29]

Retrospective diagnosis

• Louisa May Alcott, American author best known for her novel Little Women, has been suggested to have had SLE.^[30]

References

1. "What I see in the mirror: Seal". The Guardian. 11 November 2011.
2. Fitzpatrick, Thomas B.; Klauss Wolff; Wolff, Klaus Dieter; Johnson, Richard R.; Suurmond, Dick; Richard Suurmond (2005). Fitzpatrick's color atlas and synopsis of clinical dermatology. New York: McGraw-Hill Medical Pub. Division. ISBN 978-0-07-144019-6.^{[page needed]}
3. "Olympic soccer player Shannon Boxx's battle with lupus". CNN. August 16, 2012. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
4. Jewett-Tennant, Jeri. Celebrities with Lupus: Tim Raines. Lupus.About.com. Updated: August 28, 2008
5. "Interview: Juli Furtado mountain biker, aka ‘The Queen’", 20th June 2013, Aoife Glass, totalwomenscycling.com
6. J Dilla/Jay Dee, Rap.About.com. Retrieved February 2, 2009.
7. "J Dilla dies". The Guardian. 12 June 2011.
8. "Eternal singer brings lupus awareness to St Thomas'". Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. 12 March 2024.
9. , CNN Entertainment, 29 September 2009.
10. , Lupus Foundation of America, 20 April 2011.
11. Jewett-Tennant, Jeri. Celebrities with Lupus: Michael Jackson. Updated: August 11, 2008.
12. National Resource Center on Lupus.
13. "What I see in the mirror: Seal". The Guardian. 11 November 2011.
14. , billboard.com, accessed 9 October 2015
15. In the Beginning, 1949–1954 — Teddi King. Allaboutjazz.com. Retrieved February 2, 2009.
16. "Lupus forces singer Toni Braxton into LA hospital". AP. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
17. Deng, Jireh (2023-01-23). "Tonya Ingram, an inspiring L.A. poet and 'lupus warrior,' died waiting for a kidney". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
18. "'Shape of Water' star Sally Hawkins reveals she has Lupus". 26 January 2018. Archived from the original on 7 August 2020.
19. Celebrities with Lupus: Charles Kuralt. Lupus.About.com. Updated: August 11, 2008.
20. Jewett-Tennant, Jeri. Celebrities with Lupus: Lauren Schuler Donner. Lupus.About.com. Updated: August 28, 2008.
21. Celebrities with Lupus: Mary Elizabeth McDonough. Lupus.About.com. Updated: October 28, 2008.
22. Mclellan, Dennis. Michael Wayne, 68; Producer, Guardian of His Father's Legacy. Los Angeles Times, April 4, 2003.
23. Jewett-Tennant, Jeri. Celebrities with Lupus: Ray Walston. Lupus.About.com. Updated: August 11, 2008.
24. Jewett-Tennant, Jeri. Celebrities with Lupus: Mercedes Scelba-Shorte. Lupus.About.com. Updated: August 28, 2008.
25. Angie Davidson interviews top glamour model Sophie Howard, Lupus.org.uk, accessed 21 November 2008
26. Famous Lupus Patient: Ferdinand Marcos. Updated: August 11, 2008.
27. 1963: Labour leader Hugh Gaitskell dies. On This Day, BBC News, 18 January 1963.
28. Cramer, Gary. Former chess coach named to Hall of Fame. Penn State Intercom, 26 September 2002.
29. Gordon, Sarah (December 8, 2015) [Originally published July 10, 2002]. "Flannery O'Connor". New Georgia Encyclopedia. Georgia Humanities Council. Archived from the original on March 14, 2016. Retrieved May 13, 2016.
30. Hirschhorn N, Greaves IA (2007). "Louisa May Alcott: her mysterious illness". Perspect. Biol. Med. 50 (2): 243–59. doi:10.1353/pbm.2007.0019. PMID 17468541. S2CID 26383085.