Grey’s Anatomy alum Steven W. Bailey has been diagnosed with a rare neuromuscular disorder known as Congenital Myasthenia Syndrome (CMS).
Bailey, 54, explained via X on Friday, January 2, that he has “spent years being cautious, private, and quiet” about something that has been “shaping [his] life and my work.”
“That time is over,” he vowed. “What follows is an Open Letter to you all.”
Bailey began his letter by expressing hope that his entertainment industry peers are “well and not too overburdened with life’s troubles,” before revealing his own struggle.
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“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.
The Cleveland Clinic describes CMS as a group of “conditions that cause muscle weakness that gets worse with physical activity.”
The actor said that he’d hid his condition for five years “out of career caution, diagnostic uncertainty, and being private about such things,” though he now felt it was “time to stop” shying away from the truth.
“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 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?”
Bailey broke down the facts about CMS, writing: “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,” he continued. “Sustained repetitive movements are particularly difficult and can cause my muscles to temporarily tighten and shut down.”
Bailey joked that while his diagnosis has helped get him out of “doing the dishes and folding laundry in [his] household,” it has also increasingly hindered his ability to walk.
“I am fortunate that I am currently still able to walk the dog around the block, navigate my home, pop into the store for a quick few items, and the like on my feet,” he noted. “But the truth is, as my disease progresses, I have been using a powered wheelchair more and more to get around.”
The Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum confirmed that he can “still perform on [his] feet” in a limited capacity for acting roles, including still being able to “rise to my feet to object to the judge, derail a town meeting, or yell at a cop for being a loose cannon” when necessary.
“Practically speaking, moving forward, it’s time for my work, like in my life, to start skewing more wheelchair, if you will. Passed that time, really,” Bailey acknowledged. “But now I am here — done hiding — with a clear understanding of my disease, wheels firmly beneath me, ready for the next chapter in my life and career.”
Bailey reiterated his belief that there is “still room for [him] in this industry” as he relies more on the use of a wheelchair.
“I look forward to performing as characters who live their lives with a chair, creating a more representative world in film and television,” he added. “And now that I think of it, I don’t need to leap to my feet to object to that judge I mentioned earlier. They’ll hear me. And I can derail any town meeting from my chair — no problem. And as far as loose cannons go — well, you get the point.”
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Bailey closed his poignant message to fans with a self-affirming description of himself: “Same guy. Same actor. Same artist. Now with wheels.”
The star received well-wishes from many of his followers, with one X user replying: “Thank you for sharing your story! I hope to see you again soon on the tv and I hope you continue to find a positive and fulfilling path forward personally and professionally.”
Bailey is perhaps best known for appearing on more than 30 episodes of Grey’s Anatomy as Joe, the owner of a fictional bar near the show’s Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, during the first seven seasons. He has also made memorable appearances on NCIS, Angel, Modern Family and Scandal.
More recently, Bailey had a multi-episode arc as union lawyer Mike Knowles on Chicago Fire, in addition to guest starring in You and Swiped.
