Sara Naveed is a Canadian writer, chronic illness advocate, and founder of the blog Fabulous and Fatigued. 14 years ago, she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia following a hit-and-run. Inspired by her experience, she started the blog with the aim of creating awareness and ending the stigma of life with chronic illnesses. Her work has been published in various media outlets and platforms including Yahoo, MSN, The Mighty, The Tired Girl Society and DPC Education Center.
Tune in as Sara shares:
- details of the hit-and-run that eventually triggered her diagnosis
- what the diagnosis and acceptance processes were like for her, as a teenager
- how chronic pain has changed her life
- how fibromyalgia manifests in the body
- how discovering accessibility services supported her in college
- that taking holistic approaches to her symptom management has been very supportive for her
- where she has encountered “toxic positivity” in the reactions of family and friends
- how her diagnosis has impacted her relationships
- how she has worked on her mindset to cultivate balance in her life
- her experiences of acceptance and bias within the medical system, as a Muslim woman of South Asian heritage
- why she uses CBD to manage symptoms from insomnia and anxiety to chronic pain
- how the immigrant experience — from a language perspective — impacts healthcare access
- how the Canadian healthcare system needs improvement in order to better serve patients
- a reflection on her early experience of chronic illness, and how it inspires her current work
- the importance of community in ongoing healing and acceptance
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