From Fear to Fighter - Brandi Lewis

I recently wrote a column titled “How I’m reflecting on 2024 while preparing for the new year.” In it, I shared that I want to work out more consistently in 2025, exercising three…

What does it mean to “live rare”? After I was diagnosed with two rare blood disorders, aplastic anemia and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), it took me years to understand how to navigate…

The weather is getting cooler, leaves are changing colors, and, yes, pumpkin-flavored everything is at our fingertips. Unfortunately, with the fall comes flu season. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,…

When I was growing up, I always played with dolls. Some of them came as a package deal with a husband and kids. I’d name the kids and care for them as if they…

In 2016, I went to the doctor for a six-month checkup. To my surprise, I discovered that I was no longer in remission for aplastic anemia and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), two…

Often when rare disease awareness weeks or months come around each year, people ask, “What can I do?” or “How can I help make a difference?” Now is a good time to answer these…

I felt like my life was in shambles after I was diagnosed with aplastic anemia and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). In the blink of an eye, I went from living on…

Have you heard the term “invisible illness”? The Invisible Disabilities Association defines it as “a physical, mental, or neurological condition that is not visible from the outside, yet can limit or challenge…

When I was diagnosed with aplastic anemia and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), I was so focused on managing my blood disorders that I neglected to work out. One day, I went…