Sebastian Reuter/Getty Images for CALVIN KLEIN(LOS ANGELES) — Hailey Bieber wasted no time putting trolls in their place for mocking her husband Justin Bieber, who opened up about his struggle with Lyme disease on Wednesday.
“For those who are trying to downplay the severity of Lyme disease. Please do your research and listen to the stories of people who have suffered with it for years,” Hailey vented on Twitter. “Making fun of and belittling a disease you don’t understand is never the way, all it takes is educating yourself.”
Despite being on the receiving end of some derogatory insults, the “Sorry” singer also received an outpouring of support from fans and fellow celebrities, like Avril Lavigne, who are all too familiar with the disease.
“So sorry to hear about @justinbieber having to go through this awful disease. The fact that it’s hard to diagnose and is so debilitating was something I suffered through also,” Tweeted Lavigne shortly after receiving thanks from Hailey for spreading awareness about Lyme disease via The Avril Foundation.
“Thank you for all you do to educate people about Lyme. You’re amazing,” she wrote.
The model also expressed gratitude to Yolanda, Bella, and Gigi Hadid for “bringing me so much clarity and information on Lyme disease and for helping answer my questions about course of action, symptoms etc.”
Lyme disease is a tick-bone illness that infects around 30,000 Americans annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The most common symptoms of Lyme are the tell-all bull’s eye rash, fever, and chills.
If left untreated, however, the disease can spread to other parts of the body and potentially cause neurological problems, temporary facial paralysis, nerve pain, and arthritis.
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