Bernie Mac was a King of Comedy, but he was also living with sarcoidosis.
April is sarcoidosis awareness month. What better time to honor one of the kings of comedy with one of the most booming voices performance tv will ever know. A Chicago South Side guy, Bernie has all kinds of fans and back in 2010 they even made a dance for him- Do the Bernie Mac.
Bernie Mac was a rare patient and a rare dad.
He suffered from sarcoidosis, a disease which causes inflammation of body tissues. Symptoms depend on the organ that the sarcoidosis affects- the eyes, the liver, the lungs, etc. Sacoidosis can be fatal and must be treated. It is manageable. Rare Research is making headway into more treatments, understanding bio-markers, earlier detection and better diagnosis.
After Bernie’s death, multiple sources questioned if sarcoidosis, “the mysterious disease”, could have played a role in his death. Although Bernie had been reported saying his had gone into remission in 2005, the truth is it contributed to his death in 2008. For 90-95% of people living with sarcoidosis, the disease affects their lungs. Bernie passed away from serious complications after a bad bout with pneumonia.
Bernie Mac just did his thing and Patient Worthy salutes him for it!
If you weren’t a Bernie fan, Oprah’s interview with him about his philosophy on comedy will at the very least explain why everyone loved Bernie. The guy just wanted to make the world a better place by making people laugh.
Founded in Bernie’s hometown of South Chicago in 2007, the Bernie Mac Foundation exists to raise money for research and a cure. Check out the Bernie Mac Foundation website to get involved in the community, access resources and help raise awareness this month.
P.S. If you are looking for a good book: Bernie always knew he wanted to be a performer, specifically a comedian. His autobiography “Maybe You Never Cry Again” delves into Bernie’s childhood, the loss of his mother to cancer, and overcoming life’s challenges and hardships on the road to stardom.
