Dark to Hopeful - Shaquilla Gordon

As the holidays approach, I feel an especially deep pull toward gratitude. Living with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) has taught me many things — resilience, patience, courage — but nothing has been more powerful than the lesson of love. Not the easy, everyday kind, but the kind that shows…

When I was diagnosed with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) in 2017, family planning wasn’t exactly the first thing on my mind. I was still trying to wrap my head around what this rare disease even meant for my life. But as time went on and the dust of the…

When you live with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), you learn early on that no two days are ever the same. Some days, I wake up with energy and hope. Other days, I’m reminded that this rare disease is unpredictable — it can shift and change without warning. One of…

Living with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) isn’t just about managing what’s happening today; it’s also about facing what could happen tomorrow. As much as I try to live in the moment, I’d be lying if I said the potential complications of PNH don’t cross my mind. The truth is,…

Living with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) since 2017 has taught me that finding the right physician is as important as the treatment itself. Because PNH is rare, I need a doctor who is more than a medical expert — they must also be a partner in this…

When I was diagnosed with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) in 2017, I braced myself for fatigue, transfusions, brain fog, and regular blood work. What I didn’t expect was how much energy I’d spend fighting a second battle — one with my health insurance company. Living with a rare disease…

Living with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) has taught me many things, but one of the hardest lessons has been learning how to stay positive during a flare-up. When symptoms hit — in the form of crushing fatigue, dark urine, headaches, or an overwhelming feeling of weakness —…

To the newly diagnosed, First, let me say that I wish we were meeting under different circumstances. You’ve just been told you have paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), and I know how heavy those words feel. This is a club you never signed up for, but here you are —…

It’s been almost four months since I opened up in a column about the emotional roller coaster of living with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), and truthfully, that ride hasn’t stopped. But I’ve grown. I’ve learned to lean into the twists and turns instead of bracing against them. The…