Whenever something unfortunate happens to us, for whatever reason, whatever it may be, it seems to help to know we are not alone. Whether it’s a friend that shares our misfortune, or someone we’ve only heard of, for some reason, it makes things easier to deal with when we know others are experiencing it too.

It also seems our country has a bit of a fascination with celebrities, for better or worse; we read books they write, we wear the clothes they do, we want to know about them. And guess what, they suffer from allergies and asthma, too.

Since we’ve had a few celebrities in the news of late regarding their allergies, I’d like to lighten things up today and share some lists with you of celebrities, athletes, politicians, and other famous people who have  (or had) allergies and asthma.

Know you’re not in this alone! Share this list with your children or keep it for yourself. Be inspired, be strengthened, be enlightened, have fun.

Asthma:

The Arts:
Elizabeth Taylor (actress)
Charles Dickens (author)
Wynona Judd (singer)
Jason Alexander (George on Seinfeld, actor, director, singer, dancer)
Sharon Stone (actress)
John Updike (author)

Athletes:
Amy Van Dyken (Olympic gold medalist in Swimming)
Greg Louganis (Olympic gold medalist in Diving)
Dennis Rodman (Pro Basketball Player
Emmitt Smith (NFL running back)
Alex Zulle (Olympic cyclist)
Juwan Howard (NBA Denver Nuggets)

Scientists and Politicians:
John F. Kennedy (35th President of the United States)
William Tecumseh Sherman (General Civil War Union Army)
Theodore Rooselvelt (26th President of the United States)
King William III (King of England, Scotland 1650-1702)
Calvin Coolidge (30th President of the United States)
Reverend Jesse Jackson (African American Political Leader)

Allergies:

Hugh Grant, hay fever (actor)
Bill Clinton severe hay fever (42nd President of the United States)
Steve Martin, shellfish allergy (actor, comedian)
Antonio Banderas, insect sting allergy (actor)
Clay Aiken, food allergies (American Idol Finalist, recording artist)
Drew Barrymore, coffee (actress)
Marie Osmond, smog allergies (singer, dancer)
Britney Spears, skin allergies (singer, performer)

Sources:
http://www.angelfire.com/mi/FAST/celebrity.html
http://www.ecarf.org/index.php?id=203
http://www.chop.edu/consumer/jsp/division/generic.jsp?id=77773
http://www.aanma.org/playtime/pt_famouspeople.htm

- Heather Legg