Grey’s Anatomy Cast Health Struggles: Eric Dane and Others
Grey’s Anatomy Cast and Their Health Struggles
Grey’s Anatomy fans have tuned in year after year to watch the cast deal with some of the most intense medical emergencies – and, in the process, have seen the show’s stars deal with their own health scares in real life. From rare genetic disorders to serious illnesses, several actors from the series have shared their personal battles with health conditions that have impacted their lives both on and off the screen.
Steven W. Bailey and Congenital Myasthenia Syndrome
In January 2026, fans were reeling from the news that Steven W. Bailey had been diagnosed with Congenital Myasthenia Syndrome (CMS). Bailey, who played Joe the bartender on the popular series for several years, announced the diagnosis via X at the time. “Say, speaking of troubles, it’s the darndest thing, but it turns out I have a rather rare genetic neuromuscular disorder. Weird, right? It’s called Congenital Myasthenia Syndrome, or CMS,” he said.
CMS is a genetic disease that disrupts the communication between the brain and the muscle at the ‘nerve/muscle junction’… or whatever doctors call it, he added. “There are billions of these junction dodads in a body, and an increasing number of mine seem to be on the blink. Troublesome, little buggers – right?” He continued, explaining that his muscles aren’t clearly receiving all his brain’s orders to do all the swell things muscles are meant to do. The result being that his hands, arms and legs tire quicker than they should, which makes them weaker than anticipated.
Kate Walsh and a Brain Tumor
Kate Walsh has also faced her own health challenges. During a 2017 visit on The Today Show, Walsh revealed she was diagnosed with a brain tumor two years earlier in 2015. “I was exhausted,” she explained. “But I’d just wrapped a show, ‘Bad Judge,’ and I was starring in it and executive producing, so it wasn’t unheard of to be totally exhausted. So I thought I just really burned myself out.” But she didn’t get her energy back, so Walsh consulted with her doctor after she began experiencing memory problems. “I couldn’t find my words; I couldn’t find my thoughts. It was subtle, then it got pretty apparent pretty quick,” she explained. Ultimately, doctors revealed the lemon-sized tumor from her brain. “I was very lucky that it was benign, and they got it all out,” she concluded.
Camilla Luddington and Hashimoto’s Disease
Camilla Luddington shared her experience with Hashimoto’s disease in October 2025. “It’s still new to me,” Luddington told People at the time. “I got the diagnosis at the beginning of summer, so I’m fresh into this journey. I am on Levothyroxine, which is a thyroid medicine, and I can tell you that a lot of things have changed.” She continued, “I feel like I have so much less inflammation, I was very puffy all the time, not knowing why I was exhausted. I was not working out. I hadn’t seen a workout class in years, and I’m back at Barry’s bootcamp lifting weights. So I feel more myself.”
Luddington also opened up about her symptoms. “One thing that I couldn’t understand was I had a lot of brain fog, and now I understand that when your thyroid is sort of all over the place, that’s what that can feel like,” Luddington recalled. “The exhaustion of brain fog. So just literally being able to be present with whoever on set, with my family, is a huge difference.”
James Pickens Jr. and Prostate Cancer
James Pickens Jr. shared his diagnosis of prostate cancer in November 2025. “It’s not the kind of news anyone wants to hear, but to be honest, prostate cancer has run through my family,” the actor said. “My father had it. He had a lot of brothers; several of them had it. I would have been surprised if I hadn’t gotten it.” Luckily, he has proof in his family that the disease can be overcome. “I’ve got a 90-year-old first cousin, who’s still alive, actually; he had it. His son has it. A couple of his brothers had it. No one, as far as I know, has succumbed to it.”
Eric Dane and ALS
Eric Dane announced he had been diagnosed with ALS in April 2025. “I have been diagnosed with ALS,” the actor said in a statement to People. “I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter.” He also expressed that he planned to return to work on the hit HBO series, Euphoria, for the show’s final season. “I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to the set of Euphoria next week,” the statement continued. “I kindly ask that you give my family and I privacy during this time.”
ALS stands for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The condition, also referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, per the Mayo Clinic. There is no known cure.
Steven W. Bailey Revisited
Steven W. Bailey’s story is another example of how the Grey’s Anatomy cast has faced significant health challenges. In January 2026, he shared his own diagnosis of Congenital Myasthenia Syndrome (CMS). “Say, speaking of troubles, it’s the darndest thing, but it turns out I have a rather rare genetic neuromuscular disorder. Weird, right? It’s called Congenital Myasthenia Syndrome, or CMS,” he announced via X. “CMS is a genetic disease that disrupts the communication between the brain and the muscle at the ‘nerve/muscle junction’… or whatever doctors call it,” he also explained. “There are billions of these junction dodads in a body, and an increasing number of mine seem to be on the blink. Troublesome, little buggers – right?”
He continued, “The point is: my muscles aren’t clearly receiving all my brain’s orders to do all the swell things muscles are meant to do. It’s a drag. The result being that my hands, arms and legs tire quicker than they should, which makes them weaker than, well … anticipated. Sustained repetitive movements are particularly difficult and can cause my muscles to temporarily tighten and shut down.”
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