'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' Star Yolanda Foster Asks Famous Friends to Spread Lyme Disease Awareness on Social Media
After the success of the ALS Ice Bucket challenge, Yolanda Foster is now urging her friends to use social media in the same way to spread awareness for Lyme disease.
Foster is urging her fellow Bravo celebrities and A-list friends to "take a bite out of lime" for the Lyme Challenge and share the proof on their Instagram and Twitter pages.
The 51-year old started the campaign by posting an Instagram photo of her with her husband, David Foster, biting into the fruit on Sunday, April 19 and captioned it, "It takes a village, please pass it on."
RHOBH co-stars Lisa Rinna, Kyle Richards, Lisa Vanderpump and Brandi Glanville have already accepted the Lyme Disease Challenge. Vanderpump even had her famous dog, Giggy, participate in the challenge.
Other celebrities who took to social media to support the challenge include Foster's daughter, model Gigi Hadid, who posted a picture on the popular app and included a reminder to "be cautious in wooded areas and always check for ticks." William Shatner, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Erin Andrews, and Derek Hough have uploaded their own pictures, as well as 'Real Housewives of Orange County' stars Vicki Gunvalson, Heather Dubrow, Shannon Beador, Lizzie Rovsek, and Tamra Barney.
Foster was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2012.
"I went from being an outspoken, multitasking social butterfly to being trapped in a mentally paralyzed cocoon," said the former model at the Time for Lyme Gala in April 2013 when she accepted the Lyme Research Alliance's Star Award.
"Two and a half years ago, I started going to my doctors complaining about exhaustion, joint pain, insomnia, but most importantly, my neurological functions," she added.
The reality star, who has always been candid about her condition, revealed earlier this year on her Bravo blog that she has "lost the ability to read, write, or even watch TV" because she cannot process information. She also said that aside from taking antibiotics, she has turned to holistic treatment and experimental therapy in hopes of being cured of the disease.