Bella Hadid has opened up about her long-term battle with chronic illness, including Lyme disease, which she said has resulted in almost 15 years "of invisible suffering."
In an Instagram post on Sunday, the 26-year-old fashion model shared photos of medical records and a statement reflecting on her experiences.
"The little me that suffered would be so proud of grown me for not giving up on myself," Hadid wrote in the caption. "Thankful to my mommy for ... sticking by me, never leaving my side, protecting, supporting, but most of all, believing me through all of this."
In her post is an image of a medical document dated February, 2014, revealing that Hadid was struggling with a wide range of health problems, including fatigue, attention deficit disorder, memory disturbances, depression, sleep disorders, headaches, disequilibrium, nightmares, muscular weakness, chest pain, and palpitations.
The document notes that Hadid, who was 17 at the time, "feels ill all the time."
"Living in this state, worsening with time and work while trying to make myself, my family and the people who support me, proud, had taken a toll on me in ways I can't really explain," Hadid wrote.
"To be that sad and sick with the most blessings/privilege/opportunity/love around me was quite possibly the most confusing thing ever. One thing I want to express to you all is that 1: I am okay and you do not have to worry ... and 2: I wouldn't change anything for the world. If I had to go through all of this again, to get here, to this exact moment I'm in right now, with all of you, finally healthy, I would do it all again. It made me who I am today."
Hadid was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2012, when she was 16 years old. Her mother, Yolanda Hadid, was diagnosed with the illness shortly before, and her brother Anwar was also diagnosed with Lyme disease, according to Us Weekly.
In her post on Sunday, Hadid noted that she has "so much gratitude for and perspective" about her life following her lengthy infection treatment.
"Almost 15 years of invisible suffering, was all worth it if I'm able to, God willing, have a lifetime of spreading love from a full cup, and being able to truly be myself for the first time ever," she wrote.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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