Systemic sclerosis or scleroderma is a rare autoimmune disease where the body generates too much collagen. This overproduction of collagen causes thickening and hardening of the skin and other organs. We’ve put together a list of fast facts about systemic sclerosis with help from the Scleroderma Foundation. MORE: Seven common…
As the weather turns warmer, many of us will be thinking about vacations and traveling. While traveling with a lung disease does require some careful consideration, having a lung disease doesn’t mean that you have to be confined to the house. The British Lung Foundation has…
This video from SclerodermaSoCal is all about Kelly Clemeshaw. Kelly began experiencing symptoms of scleroderma in 1992 when she was still in high school. She suffered from swelling of the hands and face, chronic fatigue and Raynaud’s syndrome. She was later diagnosed with the disease in 1994.
If you or your partner have recently been diagnosed with scleroderma, you may be concerned that the disease will impact intimacy. MORE: How serious is scleroderma? According to the Scleroderma Foundation, the effect scleroderma has on a person’s sex life can vary greatly from patient to patient. Many may not…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxOI5-OCTqo In this video from invisible i, Katy takes the time to discuss one of the invisible illnesses she suffers from:Â Raynaud’s Phenomenon. Many systemic scleroderma patients with Raynaud’s syndrome soon develop other conditions. Katy explains that with Raynaud’s phenomenon, the blood vessels in the hands and feet…
Because scleroderma is such a rare disease, there is a chance that some emergency service professionals haven’t come across a patient with the condition. They may not understand some of the intricacies of the disease and how best to approach caring for the patient. MORE: Twelve things to care for…
Having a chronic illness presents many challenges for patients, not only in terms of managing the symptoms they suffer but also having to deal with people’s preconceived ideas about invisible illnesses. MORE:Â Despite there being approximately 300,000 people in the U.S. who have scleroderma, it seems that many people…
This Project Scleroderma video posted on their Facebook page is all about 20-year-old Hollie from London, U.K. MORE: Scleroderma patient appeals for help for a complicated lung transplant. Hollie first noticed something was wrong in her mid-teens when she began to experience joint pain in her hands. After visiting the…
Liz DeVivo was diagnosed with scleroderma in 2000, although she had been suffering from symptoms of the disease for four years before her diagnosis. New imaging technique could improve pulmonary hypertension in scleroderma patients. Scleroderma ravaged her body and in 2001 she was put on the transplant list for…
This touching Project Scleroderma film features scleroderma patient, Chanel White. Chanel’s inner strength and positive attitude fuel her and push her to keep fighting the disease. She’s also a source of inspiration to her husband and family and the scleroderma community at large. MORE: Find out how…
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