HEALTHCarrie Ann Inaba 'Was So Afraid' Her Sjögren's Diagnosis Would Cost Her 'Dancing With the Stars' Role
Carrie Ann Inaba spoke about being 'so afraid' her Sjögren’s diagnosis could affect her 'Dancing with the Stars' role.
Aug. 24 2026, Published 4:54 p.m. ET
Carrie Ann Inaba feared that sharing her Sjögren’s disease diagnosis could jeopardize her role on Dancing with the Stars.
"At first I was afraid to tell them—for many years," Inaba told E! News.
"In fact, I asked somebody and I said, 'I want to talk about this.' And they were like, 'You shouldn’t.' Which is weird, because I'm very honest and open. I talk about everything," she continued.
The judge was diagnosed with the chronic autoimmune disorder in 2013 but kept her health struggles private for years.
Carrie Ann Inaba Was Met With Love and Support After Missing an Episode
Carrie Ann Inaba discussed her experience living with Sjögren’s disease.
Inaba later reflected on the response she received from the show after stepping away from an episode.
"I have been met with so much love and support," she said.
She also recalled what was going through her mind at the time.
"Last season I missed the premiere episode. It was the first time in 20 years I ever missed a show since day one. And I was so afraid, I was preparing for the worst, like, 'Oh, must be over,'" Inaba said.
Carrie Ann Inaba Was Grateful for the Support She Received
Carrie Ann Inaba opened up about the support she received after missing a 'Dancing with the Stars' premiere.
Inaba said the response from the show eased those fears.
"They understood and they just knew that I needed the rest to recover and they gave me that opportunity and I'm so grateful," she said.
"I was deeply touched that I could talk about that after and maybe other people in their work environment would be given the same grace," she continued.
- Carrie Ann Inaba Reveals She's Suffering A 'Really Bad' Autoimmune Disease Flare Up
- Carrie Ann Inaba Reveals The Sacrifices She Had To Make After Lupus Diagnosis — ‘I Stopped Going In The Sun’
- Carrie Ann Inaba Rushed to Hospital After 'DWTS' Judge's 'Arms Went Numb' During Medical Emergency Mid-Flight
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
Carrie Ann Inaba Praised Disney, ABC and BBC for Their Support
Carrie Ann Inaba praised Disney, ABC and BBC for supporting her while she dealt with Sjogren’s disease.
Inaba also praised the companies behind the series for their response.
"I’m proud of Disney and ABC and BBC for doing that for me," she said.
"Because they really set a wonderful example of how you help people who are living with something like Sjogren’s disease," she added.
Carrie Ann Inaba Spoke Out About Sjögren’s Disease
Carrie Ann Inaba raised awareness about the challenges linked to Sjögren’s disease.
The experience encouraged Inaba to be more open about what she was going through and helped shape her work raising awareness about Sjögren’s disease.
"The symptoms are very sort of scattered and all over the place," Inaba said.
She also highlighted another challenge patients can encounter while seeking answers.
"Oftentimes women are gaslit with these kind of symptoms—symptoms that seem unrelated," she revealed.
She added, "A lot of doctors will minimize it. And then you start to minimize it yourself. So this is what is so great about this partnership that I'm doing with Novartis, Shout for Sjogren’s, we really want people to talk about the full experience of living with Sjogren’s disease, because it's challenging."
