The National Multiple Sclerosis Society describes MS as “an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body.”
The cause of the disease is still unknown, but it is believed to be a combination of environmental and genetic factors. The organization notes that there are an estimated 1 million people living with multiple sclerosis in the United States right now.
Applegate isn’t the first celebrity to share a multiple sclerosis diagnosis publicly in recent years. Applegate’s announcement was preceded by her “The Sweetest Thing” co-star Selma Blair, who revealed her multiple sclerosis diagnosis in 2018.
The “Sopranos” actor Jamie Lynn Sigler was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2002. Former talk-show host Montell Williams announced his multiple sclerosis diagnosis in 2000, and reality star Jack Osbourne was diagnosed with the disease in 2012.
This isn’t the first time that Applegate has shared a life-changing medical diagnosis with the public. In 2008, she revealed that she was diagnosed with breast cancer, according to reports. Soon after, she revealed that she was cancer-free after undergoing a double mastectomy surgery.
Applegate was the spokesperson for Lee National Denim Day in 2009, which raised millions of dollars for breast cancer education and research. Following her breast cancer diagnosis, Applegate hosted a television program called “Stand Up to Cancer” to raise money for breast cancer research.
The aftermath of her cancer recovery was featured in a plotline on her Netflix drama series “Dead To Me,” in which her character unwittingly befriends her husband’s killer. At one point, her character even reveals that she had both her breasts removed pre-emptively after her mother died of breast cancer.
(With inputs from ANI)
Edited by Ojaswin Kathuria and Nikita Nikhil
