My Melanoma Was Mistaken for an Inflamed Hair Follicle
"Upon first discovering a lump on my bikini line, my instincts told me something wasn't quite right and so I made an appointment at my campus health center as soon…
I Became the Pioneering Living Kidney Donor with HIV
My childhood self would have found this statement impossible to believe, yet now, at 26 years old, living with HIV seems perfectly normal to me. At eight years old in…
I Received an HIV Diagnosis at 15. It’s Been a Journey of Self-Love and Medication Adherence.
At 13, I first became sexually active. Although emotionally immature for sexual activity at that age, I trusted my boyfriend enough to engage in sexual relations without using condoms as…
I Believed My Ethnicity Made Me Immune to Skin Cancer During My Upbringing. I Was Mistaken.
My family did not talk much about wearing sunscreen or using it; on the contrary: We soaked ourselves with suntan oil and basked in the sunshine as much as possible!…
The Loss of Numerous Women in My Family to Dementia Motivated Me to Contribute My Brain to Scientific Research
Since my decision to donate my brain for scientific study, people often ask why. My response: it all begins with love. My passion lies with supporting 13 women (on both…
Entering the ER with a Shoulder Injury, I Departed with a Colon Cancer Diagnosis and a Prognosis of 6 Months to Live
As told to Erica Rimlinger. In 2016, I sought treatment at an emergency room (ER) for shoulder pain due to backpacking. I explained my situation to staff members and explained…
I’ve Embraced Openness About My Mental Health Struggles to Raise Awareness Within the Indian Community
Nicole Audrey Spector July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. My parents moved from India to the United States in 1991, and four years later I was born here.…
Managing My Uterine Fibroids Poses Challenges for Intimacy and Respecting My Faith, but I’ve Developed Coping Strategies
As told to Nicole Audrey Spector. Beginning as early as fifth grade, my periods were long, heavy and often debilitating. Even while wearing pads or tampons, they would occasionally leak…
Coping with Ovarian Cancer Presented Challenges, but the Insights Gained Led to Sustained Happiness and Clarity
As told to Nicole Audrey Spector. At 48, I suddenly experienced stabbing pain in my lower right abdomen. Though the discomfort came and went quickly, I didn't take too much…
A Physician Convinced Me to Undergo a Hysterectomy to Treat My Endometriosis. She Made a Mistake.
As reported to Nicole Audrey Spector. Chronic fatigue and migraine attacks began for me in high school, leaving some days unable to function. With my history of depression and anxiety…