Tawny Smith couldn’t figure out why she was always so tired. In 2005, the then 30-something-year-old journalist was a successful producer, newly married and looking forward to further building her career. But was plagued with unexplainable exhaustion that kept getting in the way. It wasn’t until she saw a rheumatologist several months later that she was provided with some answers: she had Lupus.
“I found myself diagnosed with this mysterious disease that left me extremely tired, with achy joints and disoriented at times,” Tawny said. “Now I’m dedicated to raising awareness so that no one is left wondering what’s wrong with them like I did all those years ago.”
Lupus is an autoimmune disease that increases the risk of cardiovascular events, like heart attacks, strokes, and transient ischemic attacks (TIA), often called mini-strokes. Rheumatologist Dr. Meenakshi Jolly says that it also causes hair loss, swelling of the face and skin ailments which often leads to self-esteem issues.
“This is a disease that is primarily found in women of color and can affect in invisible ways and externally,” she says. “That’s why I decided to take my treatment methods a step further and provide not only medical care, but psychological as well.” With the help of industry experts, Dr. Jolly provides beauty guidance, art offerings and other forms of counseling to help mitigate depression and body image issues.
Much like Tawny, performing artist Shanelle Gabriel had no idea what was going on with her when she started to feel more exhausted than usual and strange soreness in her joints.
“Being a poet and singer, I was always a vibrant person that loved to share my gift with the world, so it was difficult when I found I couldn’t perform at the level I used to,” Shanelle said. “I wasn’t myself.”
Not long after, she was diagnosed with Lupus.
“The disease can be isolating because there isn’t much known about it yet,” Shanelle said. “That’s why I’m so glad that there’s a community of support that’s dedicated to not only educating us about our new normal but helps us get back to ourselves.”
Dr. Jolly, Tawny, and Shanelle recently joined forces with global beauty brand NARS, and pharmaceutical company GSK for a Chicago-based designed to give Lupus survivors the opportunity to forge new friendships, receive makeup tips and learn about the available tools and resources, like UsinLupus.com.
Per UsInLupus.com:
Us in Lupus is designed to give you more than just the facts about lupus. It’s a resource designed by GSK that offers people living with lupus the skills, tools, and confidence they need to help them face lupus.
When you register, you’ll receive a FREE Lupus Symptoms Reference Kit. It’s a set of tools to help you identify, track, and make sense of all of your symptoms. You may also receive Speaking of Lupus, our award-winning series of self-help booklets that can help you boost your skills and confidence.
Using these tools can help you to better manage your lupus and make the most of interactions with your healthcare team.
“I’m so glad that this opportunity was provided to these beautiful women,” said Dr. Jolly. “Not only are they learning about ways to improve their outer beauty, but they’ll get better informed about what’s going on inside of them as well.
To find out more, visit UsInLupus.com.
Jasmine Browley holds an MA in journalism from Columbia College Chicago, and has contributed to Ebony, Jet and MADE Magazine among others. So, clearly, she knows some stuff. Follow her digital journey @JasmineBrowley.
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