Coping With Rare Disease
- The Good Place actress Jameela Jamil revealed she has a rare tissue disorder called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). She shared this in a recent TikTok video.
- EDS is a grouping of 13 heritable connective tissue disorders. Symptoms include joint hypermobility, skin hyperextensibility, and tissue fragility.
- The conditions are caused by genetic changes that affect connective tissue. Each type of EDS has its own set of features with distinct diagnostic criteria.
- Some of these causes are inherited and passed from parent to offspring. People who have the most common form of EDS, hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, have a fifty percent chance of passing the gene to their children.
- Jamil has had a breast cancer scare in the past.
The actress, who’s best known for her work on The Good Place alongside Kristin Bell, posted a three-minute video in which she showed viewers the supreme elasticity of her cheeks! The She-Hulk: Attorney at Law star says, "Jesus Christ, that is not an app, that is not a filter, that is just my face. Look how elastic that is.”
According to Ehlers-danlos.com, this condition is a grouping of 13 heritable connective tissue disorders. Symptoms include joint hypermobility, skin hyperextensibility, and tissue fragility.The conditions are caused by genetic changes that affect connective tissue. Each type of EDS has its own set of features with distinct diagnostic criteria. Some features are seen across all types of EDS, including joint hypermobility, skin hyperextensibility, and tissue fragility.
The Mayo Clinic says that different kinds of EDS are affiliated with a variety of genetic causes. Some of these causes are inherited and passed from parent to offspring. People who have the most common form of EDS, hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, have a fifty percent chance of passing the gene to their children.
Jamil says of EDS, "I'm done not talking to the people who MATTER about this hugely important subject because a bunch of people lucky to have good health, have no souls. Let's raise awareness on this subject together, and save some motherf king lives!"
Jamil’s Health Battles & Cancer Scare
Jamil has had cancer scares, injuries from a car accident, mercury poisoning, and seizures, reports New York Post.
In 2015, a doctor found a lump in Jamil’s breast, and she had a breast cancer scare. However, the lump was not malignant. Jamil has a history of breast cancer in her family, so she was extra sensitive to any abnormalities and potentially more aware of her increased risk of developing the disease, due to her family history of breast cancer. Speaking with The Independent about her breast cancer scare, she said, “That scare shocked me to the core, that's for certain, but I felt so lucky to be alive," reports The Independent.
There are numerous potential genes that can cause breast cancer. People with a family history of breast cancer, or those who carry the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation, are at an elevated risk for developing the disease.
Women with an increased risk of breast cancer, like Jamil people who have a family history of breast cancer should begin screening for the disease earlier than women who are at average risk of the disease. You can also check for lumps at home by performing self-exams.
Getting to Know Your Breasts with Self-Exams
Mental Health Through Physical Health Challenges
In the video, Jamil noted how people have made “fun of me over my health.” But she says that didn’t deter her and she wants to spread the word about EDS, and raise awareness of this condition. In a video shared online, Jamil shared how "The internet made fun of me over my health problems, and it made me suicidal for a while."
If you’re experiencing suicidal or harmful thoughts amid your health battle, be sure to reach out for help. A counselor or psychologist can help you care for your mental health. If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) at any hour, or chat online.
Jamil went on to say that her critics "are just a bunch of ignorant arseholes who haven't a hundredth of our strength, they can't imagine surviving what we survive, so they choose to gaslight us about it all instead."
Closing out her video about her condition, Jamil says, "I love you, I'm with you, go get checked.”
Dealing With Grief Related to Health Problems
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