Comedian Bernie Mac had sarcoidosis
Monday August 11, 2008
Comedian Bernie Mac, who died Saturday, August 9, 2008, of pneumonia, had the inflammatory lung disease sarcoidosis. Sarcoidosis produces small lumps (nodules or granulomas) in the tissues of the lung that affect breathing. Mac's family said his disease had been in remission since 2005 and was not a factor in his death. He was hospitalized on July 24 with pneumonia, and according to news reports his family expected him to fully recover. Mac established the Bernie Mac Sarcoidosis Foundation to further research about the disease.
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Comments
I wonder whether or not he also had shortness of breath, ‘the chills’ and rapid heartbeat? … that go with the anemia doctors are looking for with the CFIDS, CFS, FM group of people. The autoimmune causing chemical to suspect is 2-butoxyethanol, and the anemia is more serious than any autoimmune issue or cancer or diabetes that often accompanies ‘the fatigue’ In this case the hard to find anemia would be AIHA or IMHA
I was diagnosed with sarcoid in 2004, I believe that i had the disease several years earlier, that would explain all the health problems I was having. I know how bad sarcoid can be I was on steroids for 3 years, and it has left a bit a scarring on my lungs. Because of this I do think that sarcoid did play a role in Bernie’s death if he had it for 20 years. May he rest in peace.
Darlene, like you I have Sarc as well. After 2 bronchoscopes and 3 lung surgeries, I am sure Bernie’s death was Sarc related no matter how much his PR wants to say it wasn’t. One of the articles I read stated Bernie was on oxygen during his last film and he was still on prednisone. If you are truly in remission he would not of been on prednisone.
So happy to hear that he has established a Foundation for the research of sarcoidosis.
I am also a victim of this disease. I have
salbutamol inhaler/solution and predsione and
Antihistamine. Walking 50yrd can be the hardest thing.
I’ve had pulmonary sarcoidosis since 2004. It has not responded to standard or aggressive therapy and now has infiltrated my heart making it both pulmonary and cardiac. I’m scared.
I think Sarc had most likely damaged his lungs before he went into remission, enabling Pnemonia to cause his death. I don’t know why they virtually never give Sarc as the cause of death instead of attributing it to a secondary disease like Pnemonia.
This would’ve been a good opportunity to bring attention to the need for researching a cure for Sarc. Since he had founded the foundation it seems like his family would’ve embraced the opportunity to have his death help a cause that was important to him.