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Tia Bee Stokes

Acute Myeloid Leukemia Nearly Killed Me — But It Didn’t Stop Me From Dancing My Heart Out

To survive months alone in the hospital during Covid, I turned to my faith — and my phone

elena joy

I Couldn’t ‘Pray the Gay Away,’ so I Went to Conversion Therapy. It Nearly Killed Me.

I found my way to the truest, happiest version of myself through mindfulness and radical self-acceptance

Kristen Willard

Like an Itch That Couldn’t Be Scratched, My Hives Kept Coming Back

My skin itched, swelled and left me hopeless until my chronic spontaneous urticaria was finally treated successfully

Kristen Willard

Como una comezón que no podía rascarse, mis ronchas seguían reapareciendo

Mi piel me picaba, estaba inflamada y yo había perdido la esperanza hasta que finalmente trataron mi urticaria crónica espontánea con éxito

Shira Boehler

Even Though I Had No Symptoms, I Found My Lung Cancer Early Enough to Treat It

Catching lung cancer in an early stage is lucky and rare, so why do we screen only when it’s too late?

Shira Boehler

A pesar de no tener síntomas, detectaron mi cáncer pulmonar suficientemente temprano para tratarlo

Detectar el cáncer pulmonar en una etapa temprana es algo fortuito e infrecuente, entonces, ¿por qué hacemos pruebas de detección solo cuando es demasiado tarde?

Cierra Scalici

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) Split My Sense of Self in Two

PMDD is not just PMS. It’s a mood disorder — and not enough people are aware it exists.

Shayai Lucero

After a Major Heart Attack at 43, I Work to Raise Awareness Among My Native Community

Living on a reservation means limited access to nutrition and medical care. Self-empowerment and education are crucial

Taylor Heaton

When I Found Out I Was Autistic, I Finally Stopped Masking and Started Trusting Myself

My diagnosis at 31 inspired me to start Mom on the Spectrum — an online platform to help other autistic adults

Julie B

I Worried It Was All In My Head — Until I Was Finally Diagnosed with Addison’s Disease

The diagnosis was there, waiting to be found, yet doctors saw me as a medical mystery

Lisa Salberg

After a Stroke, 5 Implantable Defibrillators and a Heart Transplant, I’m Stronger than Ever

I’ve dedicated my life to raising awareness about hypertrophic cardiomyopathy — a life-threatening heart condition that runs in my family

Cazandra MacDonald

Doctors Told Me There Was Nothing They Could Do for My Chronic Pain. They Were Wrong.

I was dependent on the strongest narcotic pain meds until a pain management specialist really saw — and heard — me

Jennifer Auber

Caregiving For My Son With Schizophrenia Has Shown Me That Love — And Perseverance — Always Win

We all need to understand that schizophrenia is a complicated diagnosis, but not a hopeless one

Cecelia Dain

Aerial Arts Taught Me to Fly. Even With Multiple Sclerosis, I’m Still Hanging On.

My artistry looks different with MS, but I’m determined to practice as long as I can

Keirney Vandiver

I Choose Hope — Not Fear — in Facing My Multiple Myeloma

I read online that my multiple myeloma diagnosis was grim. The truth seems more hopeful.

Keirney Vandiver

Escojo esperanza, no miedo, cuando enfrento mi mieloma múltiple

Leí en el internet que un diagnóstico de mieloma múltiple era algo sombrío. La verdad parece más alentadora.

Margaret on a horse

My Broken Wrist Was a Red Flag that I Was Losing Bone Mass

I’m glad I found out I had osteoporosis. You can’t treat it if you don’t know you have it.

Margaret on a horse

Mi muñeca rota fue una señal de alerta de que estaba perdiendo masa ósea.

Me alegro de que descubrí que tenía osteoporosis. No puedes tratar lo que no sabes que tienes.

Tiffany Reid

I Spent 40 Years Looking For Answers to My Pain. I Didn’t Know I Had a Rare Genetic Disorder.

Through genetic testing, I learned I had primary hyperoxaluria, or PH, a rare condition that caused my kidneys and liver to fail

Tiffany Reid

Pasé 40 años buscando una explicación para mi dolor. No sabía que tenía un trastorno genético infrecuente.

Mediante pruebas genéticas, me enteré que tenía hiperoxaluria primaria o HP, un trastorno infrecuente que me causó insuficiencia renal

Kenzie Williams

My Mother and Grandmother Both Have Endometriosis, and Doctors Still Dismissed Me

Finding the right care was hard work, but I finally found the support I needed

Michele Leah

I Was Preparing for IVF When I Was Diagnosed with Endometrial Cancer

The shocking discovery helped me understand how strong I really am

Michele Leah

Me preparaba para una FIV cuando me diagnosticaron cáncer endometrial

Esa impactante revelación fue útil para entender cuán fuerte soy realmente

Tasha White

Myasthenia Gravis Won’t Stop Me From Living My Best Life

Living with a rare disease has only made me work harder to do all the things people said I couldn’t do