From taking part in a virtual endurance challenge to joining in a virtual cooking class, to watching several speaker presentations, advocates are set to mark Sarcoidosis Awareness Month, observed each April. World Sarcoidosis Day will be celebrated on April 13. Awareness and education are crucial to increasing the recognition,…

I stumbled upon sarcoidosis in 2002, and still wake each morning wondering what’s in store. It doesn’t follow a set path when it invades our bodies, making it just as baffling today as when I was first diagnosed. If I had named this disease, I would have called it “everything…

Is the image of the person looking back at you in the mirror someone who’s fractured, broken, or like a work in progress? I find that to be an interesting question, particularly for my life. I remember when I was diagnosed with sarcoidosis…

April is Sarcoidosis Awareness Month and the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR) is holding a virtual Memorial Monday Candlelight Vigil on April 26 to honor those who have died from the rare disease. The hour-long webinar starts at 5 p.m. CST and will feature a special tribute presentation and speakers. The…

Since the novel coronavirus emerged, what’s increasingly struck me are the eerie similarities between COVID-19 and sarcoidosis. The deeper we’ve gotten into this pandemic, the more I wonder if it might provide new clues for treating the sarcoidosis population. Much like our illness, COVID-19 can come and go without some…

Can you hear me? Do you see me? I repeat these two phrases at least 10 times a day. I think it’s common for folks living with chronic health issues to ask people these questions. I don’t know…

“Grace means that all of your mistakes now serve a purpose, instead of serving shame.” – Mike Rusch For the past few days, I’ve felt like I’m missing something — or maybe that I’m missing out on something. I keep telling myself that I have…

An association has been found between active sarcoidosis, inflammation, and the presence of low levels of white blood cells, called lymphocytes, that are involved in immune defense. This finding, by researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), could be the first step toward the development of a new biomarker…

Envy is a terrible thing. But three months into the year, I can no longer shake it.  I thought I’d be an early candidate for protection against COVID-19 because of my sarcoidosis and asthma. But I’ll be among the last eligible in Pennsylvania, which as of this writing…

At this time last year, I was in the hospital. I spent three days there, including during my son’s birthday. During that time, my primary pulmonologist broke the news to me that I didn’t qualify for a procedure I was looking to have at this…