Yolanda Hadid was diagnosed with Lyme Disease in 2012, followed by her children Bella and Anwar. Now her passion toward the condition has led her to compare the symptoms to that of HIV. However, not everyone agrees with her controversial opinion.

News.com.au reported on a speech she recently gave in Sydney in which she stated: “We all pull together so beautifully for HIV. Lyme is three times more prevalent right now, it’s a world-wide epidemic, the first case was diagnosed in 1972… yet we haven’t done anything about it.”

Dr. Brad McKay, however, rejected her opinion and said there is simply no comparison between the two, adding: “If HIV isn’t treated, people die. If Lyme Disease isn’t treated, then people can feel unwell for a very long time.”

The 52-year-old star plans to release a project titled Believe Me: My Battle With the Invisible Disability of Lyme Disease, which explores her life and that of her children since the diagnosis took place.

Her publishers released the following statement, saying: “While doctors continued to dismiss her pain and friends debated about her health diagnosis, Yolanda realized her mission and higher purpose of her journey is to use her newfound platform to educate, and bring awareness to the stigma surrounding chronic Lyme in order to bring hope to other sufferers who have been misdiagnosed and battling the invisible disability of chronic disease in general.”

Life has reportedly been an uphill battle for the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star. She has previously admitted her condition changed the dynamic of her love life with husband David Foster, partially leading to their split in 2015.