Yolanda Foster Reveals her Model Children Bella and Anwar Have Battled Lyme Disease

Yolanda Foster from "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" revealed that she is not the only person in her family who has battled Lyme disease.

The 51-year-old reality star and former model told the audience at the inaugural Global Lyme Alliance gala held in New York this past Thursday that her two youngest children, models Bella Hadid, 18 and Anwar Hadid, 16, have suffered from chronic illness as well.

"When my two youngest children, Bella and Anwar, were diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease in early 2012, watching my babies struggle in silence in order to support me in my journey struck the deepest core of hopelessness inside of me," Foster said in her acceptance speech for the "Power of One" Award.

She added, "This award is for Anwar and Bella. This is my token and my promise to you that I will not allow you to live a life of pain and suffering. I will walk to the end of the earth to find a cure so that you can live a healthy life that you deserve. No child should suffer the way that you do...I thank you both for your extraordinary selflessness during this journey. Your unwavering love and compassion has kept me alive and fighting through the darkest days of my life."

Foster's oldest child, Gigi Hadid, who is also a supermodel, is the only one who did not contract the tick-borne disease. Gigi, 20, introduced her mother prior to accepting the award in a very touching speech.

"I remember when she was going into the first season of filming, she said to me, 'I don't know why this show was brought to my life, but for some reason, I think it will lead to something bigger,'" Gigi said. "She realized that she could use this platform of this world-famous television show to spread awareness. She was honest, unapologetic, and raw in how she portrayed Lyme disease on social media and on the show from the second she announced to the world she had been diagnosed."

Foster has shared her journey with the diseases since being diagnosed in 2012. In one blog post, she talked about how she could not read, write or watch TV because the disease had impaired her ability to process information.

Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi. People can contract the illness from animals and insects (deer tick). Common symptoms include joint and muscle pain and stiffness, fever, rash, fatigue and headaches.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that roughly 30,000 new cases of Lyme disease are reported each year.