Woman with rare autoimmune disease tired of being stared at
Amidst all the looks and stares that she gets, this brave woman wants to create more awareness of the disease that she suffers from.
Listen as Jane chats to Megan in the podcast then read more below:
I came across this article posted by TimesLive back in October which peaked my attention, and I knew I had to chat with a Johannesburg woman about the struggles that she faces on a daily basis.
I had the pleasure of having a chat with my friend Megan Hunter, a 29-year-old woman who suffers from an autoimmune disease called Myasthenia gravis (MG). Megan and I went to school together and have known each other for a long time. According to the Myasthenia gravis foundation, 'MG is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disorder that is characterised by fluctuating weakness of the voluntary muscle groups.'
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Due to the many germs in public, Megan has to wear a mask in public to reduce the risk of catching any diseases. However, it hasn't been easy for her. Many people stare at her in public, with some even thinking that she is weird for doing so. What's sad is that she is not using the mask to draw attention, but to protect her from getting sick.
Living with MG since 2004, the disease affects her in her daily life as she sometimes battles to speak and even something as simple as chewing her food is a challenge for her.
Megan is such an inspiration to me as instead of focusing on the negatives and downsides of having MG, she has made a point to find the small joys in her daily life and embrace it.
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If there's one thing that I took out of my chat with Megan, it was that we all have a choice in life. We can choose to be a victim, or we could choose to live our life to the fullest. Thank you for sharing your story with us, Megan.