Veronica’s Story: Living With Invisible Illness

Veronica Beauchamp wrote an article for the online magazine BoredPanda writing about her story. She was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus and Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD) 3 years ago. Veronica has had more than 4 medical procedures in the past year and a half alone. She’s lost her hair and seen tons of medical specialists. Veronica is only 19 years old. This is her story.

Hope

Veronica wrote, “At only 19, I’ve dealt with more doctors and specialists than many will ever meet. My junior and senior year of high school was spent going to doctors and traveling to UCLA in California for treatment.”

Beauty

“One of the hardest parts of living with these invisible illnesses, especially when I was in high school, is the criticism I received from others. I don’t look sick, so it’s hard for others to understand that I am. That’s why I talk about my autoimmune diseases as much as I can and I don’t let people’s opinions weigh me down. I hope that by sharing my story I can help other people going through the same struggles.”

Strength

“After I lost my hair in 2016, many people were skeptical about me modeling and being in a natural beauty pageant with a wig. I had a hard time walking and I was in a lot of pain but I did not let that stop me from competing and winning 6 state and 2 national titles. I used my illnesses as a platform to raise awareness and I shared my experiences on stage.”

Perseverance

“I refuse to let my illnesses define me. I am my own person and my autoimmune diseases are only part of who I am, they helped to shape my story, but they are only a chapter in a book that is still being written. I will always have Lupus and MCTD, but they will never stop me from reaching my goals.”