Join me in my efforts to support the Sjögren's Foundation! Our Virtual Texas Walk is Saturday, September 28th and is our one and only annual Dallas event aimed toward raising funds and awareness for Sjogren's.
My Personal Story
I am new to the National Board of Directors this year and am excited to serve the 4 million Americans living with Sjögren's and those yet to be diagnosed. However, there is still work to be done!
Sjögren's is personal to me. Not only do I battle this disease, one of my closest friend's daughter has been battling Sjogren's since a young age, including two bouts with cancer this year, likely Sjogren's related.
My diagnosis came during the summer of 2013 after experiencing a myriad of symptoms which took a few years to diagnose. This disease stopped me in my tracks in 2016 with extreme fatigue and various infections due to an immune shutdown. In order to deal with the significant affects of Sjögren's, including dry eyes, dry mouth, fatigue, neuropathy, GI issues and chronic Interstitial Cystitis, I had to make significant lifestyle changes. Sjogren's has been a life changing event for me.
I work with a holistic nutritionist to eat clean (gluten free, sugar free, dairy free, no processed foods), to minimize inflammation. I traded in my corporate career to become an Executive Leadership Coach, a career that brings me joy and less stress as I have the flexibility to manage my own schedule. I practice self-care by listening to my body, resting when needed and following a strict bedtime schedule ensuring I get restorative sleep. Staying centered, reducing stress and exercising have all been significant game-changers in my efforts to stay ahead of this disease.
Sjögren's is a progressive disease and there is no cure - yet, which makes the work of the Foundation all the more vital. Your support goes directly toward medical research, clinical trials, reducing the time to diagnosis, patient and medical community education and raising awareness.
I'd love to have you join my Virtual Walk Team so that together, we can make strides in conquering Sjögren's!
What is Sjogren's?
Sjögren's is a systemic autoimmune disease that affects the entire body. Along with symptoms of extensive dryness, other serious complications include profound fatigue, chronic pain, major organ involvement, neuropathies and lymphomas.