DUBAI: American-Dutch-Palestinian model Gigi Hadid took to Instagram this week to give insights to her fans about her sister Bella Hadid’s Lyme disease, contracted through a tick bite.
Gigi last week shared a picture of her and supermodel Bella on her Instagram Stories and wrote: “Can’t wait for the comebackkkk.” On Wednesday, Gigi reshared her Story and wrote: “Just want to touch on this post from last week.”
“Bella just finished a long and intense treatment from Lyme disease. (Didn’t want some to take my post as a promise she’ll be back for shows this next season …) I’m so proud of her and excited for her comeback whenever she feels ready,” Gigi posted.
Instagram/ @Gigihadid
Lyme disease is transmitted to humans through infected ticks, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms can include fever, chills, headache, fatigue, joint aches and a “bull’s-eye” rash that occurs in 70 to 80 percent of infections.
Most people who are treated with antibiotics early, recover completely, according to the CDC, though the infection can become severe or prolonged in some cases.
Bella, 26, has always been vocal about her illness on her social media and in speeches. She was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2012 with brother Anwar, 24, and their mother, Yolanda, 59.
In 2016, Bella opened up to People magazine about dealing with Lyme disease while being in the spotlight.“Life isn’t always what it looks like on the outside, and the hardest part of this journey is to be judged by the way you look instead of the way you feel,” she said at the time.
Instagram/@BellaHadid
In 2020, she shared an infographic on her Instagram stories that shows the symptoms that patients of Lyme disease experience. “Every day I feel at least 10 of these attributes without fail ... since I was probably 14, but more aggressively when I turned 18,” she captioned the post.
“The truth, the invisible disease,” she added.
That same year, superstar Justin Bieber revealed he also suffers from the same illness in a YouTube documentary.
“It’s been a rough couple years, but getting the right treatment that will help treat this so far incurable disease,” the singer said.
