🦋 Kerry Wong,  Columnist—

Kerry Wong lives in Westchester, NY, with her husband, the boy next door she had a crush on since she was a child. She was diagnosed with sarcoidosis in 2015, after an 8-year search for answers. Though disabled, Kerry remains active as a writer, educator, and advocate for the rare disease and chronic illness communities. Her goal is to help others living with these conditions feel seen, validated, and empowered. Kerry recently published "Kaleidoscope: Rare Disease Stories," a diverse collection of true stories told by nearly 50 rare disease warriors; she plans to expand this into an anthology series. Through her column, Kerry shares how chronic illness has led to transformation, and invites readers to float with her, “like a Buttahfly.”

Articles by Kerry Wong

Dancing the Sarcoidosis ‘Cha-Cha Slide’

“Optimist: Someone who figures that taking a step backward after taking a step forward is not a disaster, it’s a cha-cha.” — Robert Brault This is exactly what sarcoidosis is like. It’s like we’re living in the song “Cha-Cha Slide.” Having sarcoidosis is a never-ending dance of symptoms, doctors,…

Sarcoidosis Made My Close Call With COVID-19 Even Scarier

We’re all familiar with the evolutionary fight-or-flight response. When faced with stress or danger, we go through physiological changes that enable us to either battle a predator (fight) or escape the situation (flight). However, there is another option, although we probably wouldn’t choose it willingly: to freeze. That’s…

This Thanksgiving, I’m Grounded in Gratitude

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. It’s not about material things, or one religion over another, or one-upping anyone with decorations or extravagant gifts. It’s simply a day of gratitude. A day for friends, family, football, and of course,…