Bella Hadid ‘judged’ for Lyme disease

Bella Hadid feels "judged" for having Lyme disease.

The 20-year-old model suffers with the tick borne illness, and spoke out about her experience as she was being honored at the Global Lyme Alliance gala in New York on Thursday night (10.14.16).

Speaking on stage at the gala, she said: "Life isn’t always what it looks like from the outside, and the hardest part of this journey is to be judged by the way you look and not the way you feel."

And the beauty’s mother Yolanda – who also suffers from the condition – burst into tears as she presented her daughter with her award, just one year after announcing Bella’s diagnoses at last year’s event.

The ‘Real Housewives of Beverley Hills’ star said: "It’s hard for people to understand the invisible disability that rules our life, especially behind the beautiful face that shines so bright on the cover of magazines."

For Yolanda, 52, the most important thing is finding a cure for her daughter.

She added: "I promise you, I will find a cure … My love, just remember. You are not alone."

Bella’s younger brother Anwar has also been diagnosed with the condition, whilst older sister Gigi Hadid has had a lucky escape.

And the star – who is in a relationship with musician The Weeknd – took to Instagram in June to tell her fans she is "proud" of the way her mother coped with her condition.

She wrote: "I am so proud of my mom. I have seen you in bed, struggling for the past five years of our lives, thinking to myself ‘why would this happen to such an angel?

"I would cry to myself knowing that there was nothing I could do to help and that there were people going against you and what you are/were going through."