Famous People with Asthma: Leaders, Artists, and Athletes
Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2017/11/10 - Updated: 2025/05/22
Publication Type: Awareness, Appreciation
Category Topic: Famous Disabled People - Academic Publications
Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates
Synopsis: This article presents a comprehensive list of well-known individuals, both historical and contemporary, who have lived with asthma, illustrating the condition's prevalence across various fields and eras. The information is authoritative and useful, compiled by an experienced editor with a background in disability awareness, and highlights how asthma has affected people ranging from world leaders like Theodore Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy, to celebrated artists such as Charles Dickens and Liza Minnelli, and accomplished athletes including Olympic swimmer Amy VanDyken and basketball player Dennis Rodman. By showcasing such a diverse group - including Nobel laureates, politicians, writers, and performers - the article underscores that asthma does not preclude achievement or public impact. This can be especially helpful and encouraging for people with disabilities, seniors, or anyone managing chronic health conditions, as it demonstrates that success is attainable despite respiratory challenges - Disabled World (DW).
Introduction
Asthma is caused by a complex interaction of genetic and environmental factors that researchers do not fully understand yet. These factors can also influence how severe a person's asthma is and how well they respond to medication.
Main Content
In some individuals asthma is characterized by chronic respiratory impairment. In other people asthma is an intermittent illness marked by episodic symptoms that may result from a number of triggering events, including upper respiratory infection, stress, airborne allergens, air pollutants (such as smoke or traffic fumes), or exercise.
In children, the most common triggers are viral illnesses such as those that cause the common cold. This airway narrowing causes symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing.
It is recognized with increasing frequency, that patients who have both obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and bronchial asthma, often improve tremendously when the sleep apnea is diagnosed and treated.
Famous People Who Have or Had Asthma
- Alice Cooper
- Ambrose Bierce- (1842 - 1914) - journalist and author
- Amy VanDyken - (1973) - Olympic swimmer
- Antonio Vivaldi - (1678 - 1741) - composer, conductor
- Arnold Schoenburg - (1874 - 1951) - composer
- Art Monk - (1958) - football player
- Baruj Benacerraf - (1920) - Nobel Prize Winner in medicine
- Benjamin Disraeli - (1804 - 1881) - British statesman, author
- Bill Koch - (1956) - Olympic medallist - cross-country skiing
- Bob Hope
- Bruce Davidson - (1949) - Olympic equestrian
- Calvin Coolidge
- Charles Dickens
- Che Guevara - (1928 - 1967) - South American revolutionary leader
- Daniel Webster - (1782 - 1852) - lawyer, statesman
- Debbie Meyer - (1952) - Olympic medallist - swimming
- Dennis Rodman - (1961) - basketball player
- Dominique Wilkins - (1960) - basketball player
- Dylan Thomas - (1914 - 1953) - poet, playwright
- E.J. Corey - (1928) - Nobel Prize Winner in chemistry
- Edith Wharton - (1862 - 1937) - author
- Elizabeth Bishop - (1911 - 1979) - poet and author
- Elizabeth Taylor
- George Murray - (1947) - wheelchair athlete and Boston Marathon winner
- Greg Louganis - (1960) - Olympic medallist - diving
- Ian Langtree - (1958) - Founder of Disabled World (disabled-world.com)
- Jackie Joyner-Kersee - (1962) - Olympic medallist - track and field
- Jason Alexander - (1959) - actor, director
- Jim "Catfish" Hunter - (1946 - 1999) - baseball player - (Hall of Famer)
- Jim Ryun- (1948) - Olympic medallist - running, former record holder in the mile and 1,500 meters
- John F. Kennedy
- John Locke - (1632 - 1704) - politician, philosopher
- John Updike - (1932) - writer
- Joseph Pulitzer- (1847 - 1911) - publisher, philanthropist
- Josh Widdecombe - (Joshua Michael "Josh" Widdicombe)..
- Judy Collins
- Kurt Grote - (1973) - Olympic medallist - swimming
- Leonard Bernstein - (1918-1990) - conductor, composer
- Liza Minelli
- Loni Anderson - (1946) - actress
- Louis "Studs" Terkel
- Ludwig von Beethoven
- Marcel Proust - (1871 - 1922) - French novelist
- Martin Scorsese - (1942) - film director
- Martin Van Buren - (1782 - 1862) - 8th President of the U.S.
- Morgan Fairchild
- Nancy Hogshead - (1962) - Olympic medallist - swimming
- Paul Sorvino - (1939) - actor
- Peter the Great - (1672 - 1725) - Russian Czar
- Robert Joffrey - (1928 - 1988) - dancer, choreographer
- Samuel Johnson - (1709-1784) - 18th century poet, critic and essayist
- Shannon Briggs
- Steve Allen - (1921-2000) - comedian, actor
- Theodore Roosevelt 26th President of the U.S.
- Tom Dolan - (1976) -Olympic medallist - swimming
- Walter Mondale - (b. 1928) - 42nd Vice President of the U.S.
- William Tecumseh Sherman - (1820 - 1891) - Civil War general
- Woodrow Wilson - 28th President of the U.S.
NOTE: If you notice any inaccuracies in this list, please reach out to us so we can correct it. Additionally, if you believe someone should be added to this list, please provide us with their name and any information to verify their disability. We value your help, and you can contact us here.
You can also view our other lists of famous and well-known people with various disabilities and conditions, including actors, politicians, and writers who contributed to society.
Insights, Analysis, and Developments
Editorial Note: This compilation serves as a testament to human resilience, demonstrating that asthma, while a significant health concern, does not preclude individuals from reaching remarkable heights in their respective fields. By acknowledging the achievements of those who have managed this condition, the list provides both historical context and contemporary relevance, offering encouragement to those navigating similar health challenges today. The enduring achievements of the figures listed serve as a reminder that chronic conditions like asthma are not insurmountable barriers to greatness. Their stories offer not only historical perspective but also practical hope, showing that with appropriate management and support, individuals with asthma can thrive in any arena - from the arts to athletics and public service. Such visibility is vital in reducing stigma and fostering a more inclusive understanding of disability - Disabled World (DW).
Author Credentials: Ian is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability-a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.