From surprise hospitalizations to life-changing diagnoses, 2025 has seen a wave of celebrities opening up about their personal health battles. Stars like Elton John, Eric Dane, and Justin Timberlake have revealed everything from vision loss to ALS and Lyme disease, reminding fans that fame doesn’t make one immune to medical challenges.
In recent weeks, others — including Drew Barrymore, who revealed on November 3, 2025, that she underwent an emergency breast biopsy after a “bad mammogram,” and Grey’s Anatomy star James Pickens Jr., who went public with his prostate cancer diagnosis — have shared their own health scares. Pickens emphasized the importance of early detection after doctors discovered a tumor during routine testing.
As these stars speak out about their conditions, they’re not only raising awareness but also inspiring others to prioritize their well-being. Below, we’ve rounded up the most notable health scares of the year so far and other health updates.
Justin Timberlake
On July, 31, 2025, Justin, 44, revealed he was diagnosed with Lyme disease while completing his Forget Tomorrow World Tour. In an Instagram post, he shared, “Among other things, I’ve been battling some health issues, and was diagnosed with Lyme disease — which I don’t say so you feel bad for me — but to shed some light on what I’ve been up against behind the scenes.”
He added, “If you’ve experienced this disease or know someone who has — then you’re aware: living with this can be relentlessly debilitating, both mentally and physically.”
Jessie J
British singer Jessie J announced in early June 2025 that she had been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer. The 37-year-old confirmed she will undergo surgery soon and emphasized that the cancer was detected in its earliest, most treatable phase. In an Instagram video posted on June 3, 2025, she said, “I’ve always shared everything that I go through in my life. Before ‘No Secrets’ came out, I was diagnosed with early breast cancer.”
“I’m highlighting the word early. Cancer sucks in any form, but I’m holding on to the word early,” she explained, noting that she’s been in and out of tests.
She added, “I know how much sharing in the past has helped me with other people giving me their love and support, and also their own stories.”
Eric Dane
Euphoria star Eric Dane announced in April that he had received a diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). At 53, he shared that he is grateful to have his “loving family” by his side while going through his health battle.
He added, “I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to set of Euphoria next week. I kindly ask that you give my family and I privacy during this time.”
Teddi Mellencamp
Former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Teddi Mellencamp has battled a diagnosis of stage 2 melanoma since 2022. In early 2025, she was hospitalized for multiple brain tumors linked to the skin cancer. After surgery to remove tumors from her brain—and further surgeries for lung tumors—she expressed gratitude for her medical team and remains in active treatment.
On April 2, the 44-year-old shared a health update on her Instagram Stories while lying in bed, thanking fans for their support. “I woke up to so many kind messages,” she said. “I just want to say thank you guys so much. So many messages about how strong I am. And I gotta tell you, some days I feel really really strong and some days I feel really really sad and alone. And I think that’s a normal part of what any of us are going through, and that’s okay. Stage 4 cancer can be scary.”
Bindi Irwin
Bindi Irwin was hospitalized in May 2025 after experiencing a ruptured appendix. During her recovery, the 27-year-old also underwent surgery to remove endometriosis lesions and repair a hernia. She shared her journey publicly and on her Instagram she thanked fans for their support while she healed. “Thank you for your incredible words of support and kindness. The reason I share my health journey is because more girls and women desperately need answers to their undiagnosed pain. I’ve battled with endometriosis for more than 12 years. This disease is crippling and can make you feel incredibly isolated.”
She added, “We need to raise awareness and change the narrative for women’s health.”
Lupita Nyong’o
Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o revealed in July 2025 that she’s been silently battling uterine fibroids since 2014—the same year she earned her Best Supporting Actress Oscar for 12 Years a Slave. The 42-year-old shared on Instagram that she started talking about her experience privately and soon realized so many women were going through a similar situation.
“We’re struggling alone with something that affects most of us. No more suffering in silence!”
Elton John
Music legend Elton John, 78, has spoken candidly in 2025 about a serious eye infection he contracted in 2024 that resulted in significant vision loss—completely losing sight in his right eye and suffering limited vision in his left.
In April 2025, he told Times of London that his vision loss got worse to the point where he can’t “see TV, I can’t read. I can’t see my boys playing rugby and soccer, and it has been a very stressful time because I’m used to soaking it all up.”
Billy Porter
In September 2025, Broadway’s Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club revealed Billy Porter, 56, was bowing out of his role as Emcee in the production because he was battling sepsis—a condition that when the body’s immune system has a dangerous reaction to an infection (usually bacterial).
“Due to a serious case of sepsis, Billy Porter must also withdraw from the production,” a statement from the company’s Instagram account read. “His doctors are confident that he will make a full recovery but have advised him to maintain a restful schedule.”
James Van Der Beek
In November 2024, James Van Der Beek publicly revealed he had been diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer, a diagnosis he had been privately managing.
In September 2025, Van Der Beek announced he would miss a highly anticipated Dawson’s Creek reunion event due to illness. He cited contracting two stomach viruses that prevented him from attending the live reading in person.
However, he still appeared virtually, delivering a taped message from afar thanking fellow cast members and fans, and introducing Lin-Manuel Miranda as his stand-in for the live reading of his role as Dawson Leery.
Kaye Adams
Loose Women star Kaye Adams gave fans quite a scare in October 2025 when she revealed that she had a sudden health emergency during a reformer Pilates class. The 62-year-old broadcaster said she was mid-workout when she suddenly felt dizzy and thought she might be having a stroke.
After being checked by doctors, she was relieved to learn that her symptoms were caused by vertigo, not something more serious.
Drew Barrymore
On November 3, 2025, The Drew Barrymore Show host opened up about a recent health scare that left her shaken. During her talk show, Drew revealed that she underwent an emergency biopsy after receiving a concerning result from a “bad mammogram.”
“I recently had a scare,” she shared candidly with her audience, explaining that doctors asked her to come back in for further testing. “”I got taken into that room and then I had an emergency biopsy and I waited those 5 days.” Fortunately, the actress and TV personality confirmed that the biopsy came back benign, adding that she’s “completely fine.”
James Pickens Jr.
In early November 2025, Grey’s Anatomy star James Pickens Jr. opened up about a deeply personal health battle after learning he had prostate cancer during routine screening. The actor explained that doctors discovered a tumor that, fortunately, had not spread beyond the prostate. Pickens opted for a robotic prostatectomy and went public with his experience to raise awareness — especially among Black men, who face a higher risk of the disease.
After his recovery, Pickens shared an emotional health update on Instagram, telling fans, “Hi friends, I’m blessed and grateful to be cancer-free.” He also emphasized the importance of routine checkups, writing, “Get checked!”
Dave Coulier
Dave Coulier, famous for his iconic role in Full House, had just beaten stage 3 Non-Hodgkin lymphoma when he was diagnosed with a form of head and neck cancer in late 2025.
“Totally unrelated to the previous cancer that I had,” Dave said during a December 2025 Today interview while explaining his diagnosis. “So, in October of this year, I went in for a PET scan, just a routine check-up, and something flared on the PET scan. It turned out that I have P16 squamous carcinoma at the base of my tongue. So, I said to the doctors, I said, ‘Well, did this happen because of the lymphoma?’ And they said, ‘Totally unrelated.’”
Although the diagnosis was daunting to receive, Dave said his prognosis was “very good.”
Barry Manilow
In December 2025, Barry Manilow revealed his lung cancer diagnosis, which forced him to push back his shows to February 2026.
“As many of you know, I recently went through six weeks of bronchitis followed by a relapse of another five weeks,” Barry wrote in an Instagram statement. “Even though I was over the bronchitis and back on stage at the Westgate Las Vegas, my wonderful doctor ordered an MRI just to make sure that everything was OK.”
After undergoing an MRI, Barry’s doctors found a cancerous spot on his left lung, which needed to be removed. He reassured fans that he would not need chemotherapy or radiation treatment.
