Scleroderma: Road Under Construction - a Column by Tomisa Starr

The gastrointestinal problems of scleroderma are always with me

I think of scleroderma as my constant companion — one that tries to keep me from having a life of my own. Whenever I want to do anything outside of my home or lead a productive life, scleroderma always seems to hold me back. It’s like the friend I…

I have the superpower to seek joy despite symptoms of scleroderma

Years before my scleroderma diagnosis, I was a fighter. I was born almost three months premature and came into this world fighting. One of my maternal grandmother’s friends asked her if I would live. “She’s too ornery not to,” my grandmother said. Even then, she knew I was a…

My scleroderma diagnosis journey: What a long, strange trip it’s been

I’m 61 years old and live in a city over 100 miles away from a scleroderma care center. I’ve been diagnosed with the disease several times over the past 30 years, and it took me an equal amount of time to get referred to the Stanford University Scleroderma Center…