Kiana Cornejo

My name is Kiana and I'm a 23-year-old mother to a beautiful one-year-old. One day, my life changed forever.

After returning home from a camping trip with my family, I began experiencing fevers, swollen knees and hands, a loss of appetite, and extreme exhaustion. I cried through the night, and when my mother noticed my tears, she asked what was wrong. I showed her my swollen hands and legs, and her worry escalated. She took me to the emergency room, where the doctors suggested a warm bath and Epsom salt soaks.

However, my mother, deeply concerned, took me to the hospital instead. There, I fainted in front of her, and they quickly admitted me. I was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). At just 11 years old, I didn't understand what that meant. My mother asked, "When will it go away?" The doctors replied, "It doesn't go away. We'll transfer her to HSS for further testing, as we don't specialize in lupus."

During the ambulance ride, I saw my mother's fear and sadness, and I felt lost in my pain. Once at HSS, I was taken to a room where I met caring nurses, including one named Didi, who went above and beyond to make me comfortable. It was a terrifying experience, especially watching my mother cry as I struggled to regain my strength.

After my diagnosis, I felt different. I lost hair, developed the butterfly rash, and dealt with swollen feet and hands. Monthly visits to the rheumatologist became routine, along with countless blood tests. I faced the prospect of complications with having children, and I often felt invisible in a world that seemed to change overnight.

Despite these challenges, my family and the support from HSS helped me understand my autoimmune disease. After 12 years of fighting lupus, I've grown stronger. I embrace the quote, "If she believed she could, so she did," as my mantra. I am a lupus warrior, and my journey has shaped me into who I am today.