List of people with Guillain–Barré syndrome

A number of notable people have been affected by the rare peripheral nervous system condition Guillain–Barré syndrome.

American actor Andy Griffith developed Guillain–Barré syndrome in 1983. Griffith is seen here receiving an award at the White House in 2005.

• Ryūtarō Arimura, vocalist for Japanese rock band Plastic Tree: His case was detected and treated early, and Arimura was able to return to touring within three months.^[1]
• Markus Babbel, former international footballer, contracted GBS in 2001, following a period suffering from the Epstein–Barr virus. He lost almost an entire year of his footballing career between the two illnesses.^[2]
• Tony Benn, British politician^[3]
• Rachel Chagall, actress, contracted GBS in 1982. In 1987, she portrayed Gabriela Brimmer, a notable disabilities activist.^[4]
• Alastair Clarkson, Australian football coach.^[5]
• Tom Edlefsen, American tennis player, made the fourth round of Wimbledon in 1968, a year after he developed GBS.^[6]
• Mike Egener, Canadian hockey player^[7]
• Rowdy Gaines, American Olympic Gold Medalist in swimming.^[8]
• Samuel Goldstein, American athlete and Paralympian^[9]
• Andy Griffith, an American actor best known for The Andy Griffith Show and Matlock, developed GBS in 1983.^[10]
• Joseph Heller, author, contracted GBS in 1981. This episode in his life is recounted in the autobiographical No Laughing Matter.^[11]
• Lucia Hippolito, Brazilian political scientist, journalist, historian, columnist and commentator.
• Karlo Miracle, nephew of Irene Miracle and principle swan eater at St. John's College Cambridge.
• Luci Baines Johnson, daughter of President Lyndon Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson, was diagnosed and under treatment for GBS in April 2010.^[12]
• Hugh McElhenny, former professional American football player with the San Francisco 49ers^[13]
• Scott McKenzie (born Philip Wallach Blondheim), an American singer and songwriter most notable for his hit single and hippie anthem "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)", died August 18, 2012, at the age of 73 from GBS.^[14]
• Sabine Moussier, Mexican actress^[15]
• Lena Nyman, Swedish actress
• Lucky Oceans, Grammy Award-winning musician with Asleep at the Wheel, was diagnosed with GBS in 2008.^[16]
• Len Pasquarelli, sports writer and analyst for ESPN and resident of the Pro Football Writers of America, was diagnosed in 2008.^[17]
• Serge Payer, Canadian-born professional hockey player, after battling and overcoming the syndrome, set up the Serge Payer Foundation, which is dedicated to raising money for research into new treatments and cures for GBS.^[18]
• William “The Refrigerator” Perry, former professional American football player with the Chicago Bears, was diagnosed with GBS in 2008.^[19]
• Toni Rüttimann, bridge builder in developing countries, in Cambodia (2002); he used the rehabilitation time in Thailand to develop software to support bridge-building works.^[20]
• Norton Simon, American industrialist and philanthropist^[21]
• Kay Smith (artist), current Illinois Artist Laureate, was diagnosed with Guillain–Barré syndrome at the age of 73, after extensive rehabilitation at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago she was able to continue painting and teaching^[22]
• Kelly-Marie Stewart, British actress^[23]
• Hans Vonk, Dutch conductor.^[24]
• Morten Wieghorst, Danish former footballer and football coach^[25]
• Danny Wuerffel, 1996 Heisman Trophy winner from the University of Florida^[26]
• Rich Ceisler, American standup comedian, became sick while performing on a cruise ship. He was flown to a hospital in the Dominican Republic where diagnosis of Guillain–Barré syndrome was made. Ceisler died soon after, on 4 August 2014.^[27]

NOTE: Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR), American President, was struck by a serious illness in 1921 that left his legs permanently paralyzed. FDR's illness was diagnosed by his doctors as "infantile paralysis" (paralytic polio). In 2003, a peer-reviewed article re-examined FDR's illness. Taking FDR's age (39), his symptoms, and other factors into account, the researchers found that FDR's illness was much more consistent with GBS - nearly unknown in the US in 1921 - rather than polio.^[28][29]

References