Polish composer and virtuoso pianist Frederic Chopin was famous for his compositions for solo piano. His Romantic-era creations are still enjoyed today, long after his untimely death at age 39. But Chopin may be of note for another reason: he may be the most famous person to have had cystic fibrosis.
A growing theory posits that Chopin, who had tuberculosis when he died in 1849, also had undiagnosed CF. The argument was first broached in 1987 in the Medical Journal of Australia and others, from researchers to CF sufferers, have piled on. Chopin’s low body weight, chronic cough, digestive issues and family history seem to indicate that he had a so-called “mild” version of the progressive disease.
While DNA evidence may be the only way to conclusively say if Chopin had CF, he’s not the only famous sufferer. Wikipedia helpfully provides a list of notable people with CF, and I’ve included some examples below.
Current or former athletes from the sports of rugby, cricket and weightlifting have CF. Canadian 11-time Ironman triathlete Lisa Bentley has CF! There have been singers, actors, poets, commentators and writers. Singer-songwriter and model Alice Martineau, who died of CF in 2003, was the subject of a BBC documentary that premiered just after her death.
Celebrities or public figures with the disease can help make it relatable and can be extremely effective when it comes to raising awareness. Just consider how many more people are likely now aware of Ramsay Hunt after singer Justin Bieber’s revelation in June that he was diagnosed with the syndrome that causes facial paralysis.
Because CF is an “invisible disease” that doesn’t always present obvious symptoms, like say the facial paralysis of Ramsay Hunt syndrome, there may be other celebrities or public figures who have it. Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin’s family only revealed his diagnosis after his death (which was caused by a freak vehicle malfunction, not CF). It saddens me that Yelchin didn’t come forward with his diagnosis because of how important advocacy is when it comes to getting treatment and funding for research. (I wrote about advocacy elsewhere in this Everyday CF project.)
With Trikafta, a transformative medicine that could improve and extend the lives of most CF sufferers, we expect to see more people with CF living normal lifespans. With better health and longer lives, there’s no doubt that future generations of people with CF will go on to become athletes, singers, actors, poets and more. I can’t wait to see the list of notable people with CF grow.
shaunarempel 