There’s something magical about Cyndi Lauper, the lively artist behind the 1983 hit “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” a song that quickly became a global anthem, encouraging women everywhere to embrace fun and freedom.
Lauper is the definition of cool. Her quirky, carefree personality, playful fashion, and colorful hair inspire people with her message to always be yourself.
However, behind the playful voice that spreads joy to her listeners, Lauper battles a severe skin condition called psoriasis. At one point, it was so intense that, as she described, “It looked like someone threw boiling water on me.”
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The legendary pop star, now 69, recently opened up about her ongoing battle with psoriasis—a chronic skin condition that has no cure—since she was first diagnosed in 2010.
Psoriasis can cause severe pain, itching, discomfort, and rough, scaly patches on the skin. About 8 million people in the U.S. and 125 million globally live with this condition.
Lauper’s symptoms started as scalp irritation and general discomfort, which worsened over time.
Initially, she thought her itchy scalp was from frequently coloring her hair, but the symptoms continued, causing both physical pain and emotional strain for the award-winning musician.
The “Time after Time” singer is a busy mother, touring pop star, and activist.
Inspired by her sister Ellen, who is a lesbian, Lauper has become a strong supporter of LGBT rights, working tirelessly to advocate for the community.
Her 2005 song “Above the Clouds” was written in honor of Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old gay student who was beaten to death in Wyoming. Lauper also started the “True Colors” concert tour in 2007-2008, which raises support for local and private LGBT charities and organizations.
Besides her advocacy, Lauper has an impressive career as a singer, songwriter, and actor. Over the past forty years, she has received many awards, including a Tony Award, two Grammy Awards, an MTV Music Video Award, and an Emmy Award for her role in a 1995 episode of the TV show *Mad About You*.
She also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and in 2013, her humanitarian work earned her a special invitation to attend President Barack Obama’s second inauguration.
Despite her diagnosis, Lauper continues to stay strong. She is committed to not letting psoriasis hold her back and works on managing stress to avoid triggering flare-ups.
When she was first diagnosed and dealing with severe psoriasis, Lauper wrote the music and lyrics for the Broadway musical *Kinky Boots*, which won her a Tony Award for Best Original Score. She became the first woman to win a Tony in that category on her own. The show also won five more Tony Awards, including Best New Musical.
In a conversation with the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), Lauper openly shared her experience living with the autoimmune skin condition, hoping her story might help others.
“I’ve never been able to really manage stress,” she admitted, explaining that she now takes a holistic approach to healing and stress relief both at home and on the road. She learned reiki, a Japanese technique for relaxation, saying, “That helps me.”
Along with reiki, Lauper works to stay grounded by meditating, practicing yoga, or taking walks in the fresh air with her dog and her husband, David Thornton, whom she married in 1991. The couple has one son, born in 1997.
“It’s not a bad thing to take care of yourself,” Lauper said, urging people to always “make a little time for you.”
She encourages starting small. “How about five minutes for you?” she added.
Lauper speaks with resilience about her experience, explaining that “when psoriasis gets really bad, it’s really hard to get up again.” She shared that at times, she couldn’t regulate her body temperature, leading to chills that could result in hypothermia. Even when resting, her condition only worsened, and hearing people dismiss it as “just a rash” added to her struggles.
“You don’t have to suffer,” Lauper said. Treatments, such as topical and oral medication or injections, can help ease the often unbearable symptoms of psoriasis. For Lauper, she found relief with Novartis’ Cosentyx, and as a spokesperson for the medication, she happily shares that she’s been “four years clear.”
In 2017, Lauper spoke with HealthDay about managing her psoriasis.
“It’s funny—you start wearing gloves, or this and that, hoping [psoriasis] is invisible, but it’s not. I didn’t show it off, like, ‘Woo-hoo, check this out!’ Doesn’t everyone try to hide it? You’d be surprised how many people have it and don’t talk about it. It’s one of those invisible things, so it’s good to talk about it.”
She shares more about it on her podcast *PsO in the Know*, where she talks with celebrities, advocates, and everyday people who offer insights on living with psoriasis.
The show is now in its third season and is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Pandora, and Stitcher.
Lauper isn’t the only celebrity with psoriasis. Kim Kardashian, now 42, was diagnosed at 30 and is open about her challenges. Her mom, Kris Jenner, 67, had her first outbreak in her late 20s and said it was “life-changing.” Other celebrities with psoriasis include musician Art Garfunkel, 81, actor Jon Lovitz, 65, and Jerry Mathers, 74, known as “The Beaver.”
13 Years Ago Was the Last Time I Saw My Daughter, Today I Got a Christmas Letter from Her – My Story
Over a decade ago, I lost my job and family because I didn’t take myself seriously. After slowly piecing my life together, I finally have a chance at redemption with my estranged daughter.
I used to be an ambitious young man with the world at my feet. I always saw myself running my own business, and for a while, I believed that I was on the right path. Looking back, I think this passion made my ex-wife, Rebecca, first fall in love with me. She even supported me during the humble beginnings of my old repair shop.
Rebecca and I had our daughter, Harriet, during this time. Unfortunately, my repair shop went bankrupt. I began to feel depressed and lost motivation. I worked as a waiter to make ends meet, but I couldn’t provide a stable lifestyle for my family.
“When are you going to get a real job?” Rebecca asked me. I had no answer. Even though I had a great relationship with Harriet during her childhood, my marriage slowly fell apart.
Rebecca and I fought all the time, and we grew further apart. One day, I was called into the restaurant and told they could no longer keep me on the staff. “We’re going to have to let you go, Jimmy,” my manager told me.
For illustrative purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
At the time, I was at such a low point in my life that I didn’t even care. Perhaps I thought Rebecca could care for me while I looked for a new job. That day I went home and took a walk with my family. Harriet was riding in her little car with foot pedals. Rebecca had a solemn demeanor, and I sensed something was wrong.
“I’m leaving you, Jimmy. I just can’t do this anymore. It’s obvious that you’ve given up on everything,” She told me. In one day, my entire world had come crashing down. I tried to convince Rebecca to give me one more chance, but her mind had already been made up. I gave my daughter a big hug.
“Mom always told me you were a loser and I should forget about you, but I can see that you’ve changed.”
“Daddy will always love you no matter, okay Harriet?” I told her. I could tell that she didn’t understand what was going on. By the following day, Rebecca and Harriet were out of the house, and I was all alone. Rebecca took full custody of our daughter as I was unemployed.
It was only then that I realized how much of a loser I was. I couldn’t even take care of Harriet as I had no savings or job lined up. In what felt like a few months, Rebecca had already moved in with a new partner, Eric. “Until you get your life in order, don’t even think about talking to Harriet,” Rebecca told me.
For illustrative purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
I used the last of my money to buy Harriet a gift for her birthday party, a small bunny rabbit. I also wrote a note which read, “I miss you so much. Happy Birthday. Love Daddy.”
When I reached Eric’s house, I saw he was pretty rich. He had thrown a big birthday party for Harriet, with mascots and a jumping castle. I felt ashamed. My daughter had a new dad. Eric could provide Harriet with things I couldn’t even dream of buying.
I left my gift at their front gate and left. At this point, I was in a very dark place and couldn’t see a way forward. I decided to leave the coast and move cities. All I had to my name was the house my father, Frank, left me.
Since I was flat broke, I sold the house and moved into an apartment in a town in a different state.
I worked odd jobs at times to make a bit of money. Two years after I left my family behind, I was broke again. The following month, I was evicted. I found myself out on the street with nowhere to turn.
For illustrative purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
I can’t keep living like this, I realized. I walked into the local store and begged for a job. The manager recognized me from around town and gave me a chance as a cleaner in the store. In the next few months, I was promoted to cashier, and within a year, I was made administrator of the whole store.
Even though I was finally financially stable and had cleaned up my act, I was still very lonely. Years flew by, and I still wasn’t in contact with any of my family, and I had no real friends. I regularly gave some of my money to charity because I had no one to spend it on.
That all changed today, as for the first time in ages, I received mail that wasn’t an outstanding bill. It was a Christmas letter from Harriet!
For illustrative purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
It has been 13 years since I’ve seen I have seen or heard from my daughter but I’ve been blessed with a Christmas miracle. Her words warmed my heart in a way that I haven’t felt in years. Her letter read:
“Hi, Dad. I’ve finally found you! This may come as a shock, but I’ll be flying in to see you tomorrow. We have so much to talk about. Even though mom and Eric provided me with everything growing up, I always wondered when you would come back.
Mom always told me you were a loser and I should forget about you, but I can see that you’ve changed and got yourself together. Just so you know, I still have the stuffed bunny you left me for my birthday. I named him Jimmy, so in a way, you’ve been with me all along!
See you soon. I love you, and I can’t wait.
Merry Christmas, Dad!”
This is the most incredible day of my life. I’ve missed my daughter so much, and I never thought I’d get this opportunity. I changed my life for the better and did what I could to help my community.
For illustrative purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
Although I felt too ashamed to return home, God has blessed me with a second chance with Harriet. This time, I’ll do everything I can to make her proud and make up for all the time we missed together. After 13 long years, I finally have my shot at redemption.
Have you ever had a moment when you needed to start life with a clean slate? How did you survive it?
Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.
If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a man who abandons his family and is recognized 20 years later begging in the streets by his estranged daughter.
This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life.
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