Debbie Gibson Gives Health Update on Her Lyme Disease (Exclusive)

Debbie Gibson still feels like “a warrior” and “Forever Electric” after living with Lyme disease over the past 12 years.

The top of the chart 80s pop star gave PEOPLE a candid health update during an exclusive conversation at the Dancers Against Cancers 2025 Gala of the Stars on Tuesday (October 21) in Beverly Hills, California.

“I feel really good,” says the 55-year-old entertainer, who began experiencing symptoms of tick-borne inflammatory disease year 2013.

Gibson continues, “A couple of weeks ago I ended up in an ER down the road. Is it Lyme or is it just delayed? I don’t really know, but my point is, my health goes through twists and turns, like everybody else’s.”

“I’m just taking it one step at a time and dealing with whatever comes up, and right now I’m doing great. I’m doing great,” she concludes about her health.

In 2021, the “Lost in Your Eyes” and “Foolish Beat” hitmaker previously told PEOPLE about the early days in 2013 of her then-undiagnosed symptoms of Lyme disease, which included food sensitivities, fatigue, night sweats, migraines and back pain.

“When I had Lyme disease and didn’t really know it, I took a Xanax to help me sleep,” she said. “It started wiggling my body out and triggered something Lyme-related, and my body couldn’t handle it.” But years later, Gibson was able to cope with his Lyme disease.

“For me, it’s about being zen and open, listening for answers and yes, being a warrior, but a peaceful warrior and moving through things,” the songwriter and actress explained in 2021. “When you’ve lived enough life, you start going through things more easily.”

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At the Oct. 21 gala, Gibson also told PEOPLE about the reception to her recently released memoir, Eternally Electric: The Message in My Music.

“The two biggest things people connect with is anxiety. The fact that I was vocal about having panic attacks as a teenager and kind of mental health, I think a lot of people relate to,” she says.

Gibson continues, “And then when I lost my mom, people were like, oh my god, I was reliving my own grief. And I just think when you talk about things like that, it makes people feel less alone, as cliche as that sounds.”

“I don’t think I even realized until I wrote it how many challenging moments I went through to get to this point,” she adds. “You’re still standing. I’ve been through a lot.”