Sarah Hyland gets very "insecure" about her body.
The ‘Modern Family’ star battles with kidney dysplasia – a condition in which the kidneys don’t fully develop in the womb – and has admitted she gets days where she feels insecure about her looks but hopes opening up about how she feels will help others suffering with invisible illnesses to be kinder to themselves.
She wrote on Instagram: "To my fellow #invisibleillness warriors. It’s ok to be insecure about your body. Just remember to check in with yourself at least once a day and say thank you. Our bodies have endured unfathomable feats that our minds barely have time to comprehend what has actually happened. With inflammation, excess water gain, and medications, my skin has a hard time bouncing back. I saw this picture and HATED it but quickly readjusted my attitude and decided to celebrate it. Love yourself and be patient. We are all stronger than we think we are. (sic)"
Meanwhile, Sarah previously admitted she thinks her chronic illness "happened for a reason" and it really makes her "stronger" as a person.
She said: "Everything happens for a reason. [Struggles are] only going to make you a stronger and more efficient person … When I found out, there was a nice cocktail of guilt, fear and a kind of hopelessness. But also it was like, okay, this is now a part of your life."
The 29-year-old actress underwent a second transplant in 2017, this time with her brother donating his kidney, and thankfully the surgery was successful.
And now, Sarah says that whilst it is "okay" for other chronic illness sufferers to "feel angry", they shouldn’t let it "consume" them.
She said: "People who have chronic illness should take the time to say, ‘This isn’t fair.’ Take a moment to cry and be like, ‘F you’, to whomever did this to me. It’s okay to feel angry, just don’t let it be all-consuming. I have realised the benefits of being able to talk about it. Not just for on a mental level for myself, but so that others don’t feel so alone."