An Anthem for People with Disabilities, Especially Autoimmune Warriors.
This one’s for us – the fighters, the warriors, the survivors. The ones carrying invisible battles that others can’t see. The ones who wake up every day and choose to show up, even when nothing about life is guaranteed. Some mornings, it’s pain. Other days, it’s sheer exhaustion. But still…. we show up.
Life with a disability isn’t just hard. It can be exhausting. Isolating. Frustrating. It’s pushing through constant pain or fatigue while trying to convince others your struggles are real. It’s watching your significant other or loved ones see your suffering, unsure how to help.
It’s navigating a world that wasn’t built for you, while being told to “just adapt.” And for those of us with autoimmune diseases, it’s the added challenge of fighting your own body while hearing, “But you don’t look sick.”
Yet, despite it all, we achieve incredible things. As meteorologist Janice Dean puts it:
“It’s important for me to raise awareness of MS because there is still a stigma attached to the disease. Many people are afraid to reveal their diagnosis at work, and I’d like to see more awareness and support of MS in the workplace. Just because someone has an autoimmune disease doesn’t mean they can’t do a great job.”
Her words hit home. Being seen as “less capable” because of a diagnosis is real – and it fires me up beyond my trigeminal. This is something I will never rest about.
But let me be clear: We find ways to adapt and thrive. We are Warriors.
We’re parents, spouses, siblings, friends, and coworkers. Our lives are full, complex, and meaningful in ways that defy any label.
I’ve lived with MS since my early 20s, though I didn’t know it for years. Looking back, I see how I was innovating and adapting all along, unknowingly building resilience with every step. Now, with clarity and purpose, I’ve built frameworks not just to help myself thrive but to empower others like me. Because awareness isn’t just about words – it’s about action.
When people see what we achieve and then realize it was done by someone with a disability, the impact speaks for itself.
We are powerful. We are resilient. Every day, we show the world what true strength looks like. And I’m done waiting for a seat at someone else’s table. Their table was never made for us.
So, I’m building my own – on my own terms. You can too if that’s what you want.
Together, we can drive change. We can raise awareness, build communities, and redefine what’s possible. Not because it’s easy, but because it’s necessary.
If you’re out there fighting your own invisible battle – whether it’s MS, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, or anything else… you’re not alone.
You are seen. You are powerful. And your life is so much more than your struggles.
This stops here. The doubt. The stigma. The second-guessing.
Because in this place, we are all equal.
This is bigger than me. It’s bigger than any one of us.
Let’s show the world what we’re capable of.
This is for us.
🔥 Join the Forward with Fire movement.🔥
