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Spring 2019 | By聽Nicole Dudenhoefer ’17

Azmia Magane 麻豆精品 S�07 麻豆精品 S�09MSW 麻豆精品 S檚 grandfather often described her as a bulldog with a piece of meat. 麻豆精品 S淥nce I get ahold of something, that 麻豆精品 S檚 it. It 麻豆精品 S檚 happening, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檓 not letting it go. 麻豆精品 S�

That fighting spirit has driven the psychology and social work alumna to make a lot of things happen over the past three years. Just take a look at her resume. She 麻豆精品 S檚 been a MAC makeup artist in New York, working at major events such as Fashion Week, and has freelanced as a writer for numerous publications, such as 罢别别苍听痴辞驳耻别 and The Source.

She currently serves as an editor at聽MuslimGirl.com, the largest website for Muslim women in the west, which led her to develop the first collaboration specifically for Muslim women by an American beauty brand, a limited-edition capsule collection of halal-certified nail polishes. And she 麻豆精品 S檚 made an impact on a legislative level by working with officials to get Muslim Women 麻豆精品 S檚 Day recognized in Orlando and the state of Florida.

But now Magane is fighting even more battles on a daily basis. Aside from maintaining her full-time job as a social worker, she lives with lupus, a chronic auto-immune disease that causes inflammation, pain and damage in different areas of the body. She was diagnosed in February 2018, after two years of doctors 麻豆精品 S� visits, and having seven lymph nodes and a mass removed from her chest.

But Magane 麻豆精品 S檚 battle with lupus extends beyond herself. Last year, she became an ambassador for the Lupus Foundation of America. As a part of a pilot program for the Florida chapter of the organization, she collaborates and organizes with a team of 16 other聽volunteers to help raise awareness and effect change for those living with lupus.

麻豆精品 S淚 had such a horrible experience getting diagnosed that it wasn 麻豆精品 S檛 something I wanted anybody else to go through. So I decided to apply [for the volunteer program,] 麻豆精品 S� Magane says. 麻豆精品 S淚 just wanted to use my negative experience and turn it into a positive experience to help people. I figured I went through this experience for a reason. 麻豆精品 S�

It 麻豆精品 S檚 not clear how many people are affected by lupus, but the LFA estimates between 300,000 and 1.5 million people in the United States have it. One of the biggest problems with treating lupus is recognizing it in the first place because symptoms present differently in each person.

麻豆精品 S淪ometimes that can make people look like they 麻豆精品 S檙e faking it, but that 麻豆精品 S檚 not the case at all. It 麻豆精品 S檚 just a very difficult disease that even medical practitioners don 麻豆精品 S檛 understand. It doesn 麻豆精品 S檛 have a cure, they don 麻豆精品 S檛 know what causes it exactly and there are very limited treatments for it, 麻豆精品 S� Magane says.

There is only one FDA-approved drug that is specifically targeted for lupus 麻豆精品 S� Benlysta, which was approved in 2011. The treatment must be administered intravenously and doesn 麻豆精品 S檛 work for everyone. It usually takes many years and assessments from several different specialists before someone can receive the proper diagnosis and treatment.

麻豆精品 S淯ntil you 麻豆精品 S檙e affected by this it is very hard for people to understand, 麻豆精品 S� Magane says. 麻豆精品 S淸Most people don 麻豆精品 S檛] know what it 麻豆精品 S檚 like to end up in the hospital every month for a week at a time. It 麻豆精品 S檚 hard to explain that to my other friends and family. They see it, but they don 麻豆精品 S檛 see it all the way. 麻豆精品 S�

Magane 麻豆精品 S檚 LFA ambassador position is giving her the opportunity to help others see this 麻豆精品 S渟ilent illness. 麻豆精品 S� But her main goal is developing a patient advocacy program that helps others learn how to navigate the diagnostic process, work with healthcare professionals and deal with insurance companies 麻豆精品 S� often taxing work for someone managing a physically, mentally and emotionally draining illness.

麻豆精品 S淭hese are things I 麻豆精品 S檝e personally dealt with. I 麻豆精品 S檝e had a $48,000 hospital bill sent to me before. Last year, I owed $136,000 in out-of-pocket medical expenses, after insurance, 麻豆精品 S� Magane says. 麻豆精品 S淏efore I was diagnosed I even had some doctors and specialists suggest that some of the symptoms were in my head or I was having anxiety. So I know what these things feel like, 麻豆精品 S� Magane says.

Although demanding to be seen and heard has always come naturally to Magane, she stresses being vocal and persistent as some of the most important weapons for anyone battling lupus.

麻豆精品 S淚f your doctors aren 麻豆精品 S檛 listening to you then you need to find a new doctor. It 麻豆精品 S檚 okay to look for someone who listens to you, 麻豆精品 S� Magane says. 麻豆精品 S淵our doctors may have gone to medical school but you 麻豆精品 S檝e lived in your body your whole life and know it best. 麻豆精品 S�