Calvin Harris,  —

Calvin serves as chief financial officer for the National Urban League. He grew up in Maryland, near Washington, D.C., and now lives in Brooklyn, New York. He was diagnosed with sarcoidosis in 2014, with the condition affecting his lungs, skin, lymph nodes, and bones. Despite the challenges of the condition, Calvin strives to live a balanced life in service of others. His column, “Run Your Own Race,” is inspired by his newfound enjoyment of running, something that his first sarcoidosis doctor told him was not possible, but later doctors encouraged. He hopes that his column will help remind fellow patients and others that our sarcoidosis journey is uniquely our own race to run.

Articles by Calvin Harris

COVID-19 Has Made Marathon Training Harder

I’ve been learning the hard way that recovery from COVID-19 is in some ways reminiscent of dealing with sarcoidosis. After being diagnosed with COVID-19 in early January, quickly obtaining monoclonal antibodies to aid in my recovery, and then completing a 20-day isolation period due to my immunocompromised state,…

I’m Thankful to Have Reached the End of My COVID-19 Isolation

Yesterday, my doctor cleared me to return to the office, effectively ending my COVID-19 isolation. After testing positive more than two weeks ago, and feeling quite sluggish for several days beforehand, yesterday’s at-home test came back negative. What a relief. Thankfully, as I previously mentioned, I was able…

COVID-19 and Inequities in Access to Treatment

“Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in healthcare is the most shocking and inhumane,” Martin Luther King Jr. said in 1966. I have COVID-19. As of this writing, I am one of 326 million people who have contracted this disease worldwide. As a pulmonary sarcoidosis fighter who…

My Monthly Infusion Always Brings Hope

Today is my infusion day, and I’m excited and hopeful. I’ve been taking Inflectra (infliximab-dyyb) for about four months. Before that, I was on Remicade (infliximab), until my insurance company suddenly stopped approving it, compelling me to switch. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers the two to…

‘High Risk’ Means Always Staying Vigilant

As I write this, I just learned of the passing of former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell. Admittedly, Powell had so many achievements that I’m not sure which title is most appropriate — general, secretary, or chairman. In the coming days and weeks, no doubt many words will be…

What Running Has Taught Me About Pain

November 2022 is a long time away, but I’m very excited for it. If all goes well, I’ll be running in the 51st TCS New York City Marathon. Why am I focused on 2022 when we are weeks away from this year’s marathon? Well, it’s because I just qualified…