WebMD: Nick Cannon Winning the War With Lupus

Nick Cannon may have lupus, but he refuses to let the disease take over his life. WebMD profiles his battle with lupus in this article entitled, Nick Cannon: A Warrior in the Fight Against Lupus. He has had to change his lifestyle to manage the disease, but he refuses to let it impact his family and career.

Cannon openly shares that he wants to be ‘the face of lupus’ since being proactive and vocal has helped him face the struggles. He calls on people impacted by lupus to step up and follow his lead to take action against the disease. As he states, “Don’t sit dormant, whatever you do…When something like this is placed in front of you, instead of folding and cowering in a corner, say, ‘All right, this was given to me to hold up and show people that I can beat this and be as strong as possible.’

This is a familiar sentiment for many people dealing with lupus, and Cannon recognizes that as a public figure he has the ability to affect change and inspire people who share similar struggles. 

As the article highlights, Cannon has worked tirelessly with the Foundation to raise awareness for the signs and symptoms of lupus. Early diagnosis is key and Cannon himself greatly benefitted from early diagnosis before suffering further damage to his kidneys since he has lupus nephritis. Early diagnosis depends on increased awareness, particularly among people who are at highest risk of developing the disease.

Dr. Gary Gilkeson, who chairs the Foundation’s Medical-Scientific Advisory Council, addressed the challenge of diagnosing lupus since it is not highly prevalent and many of the common symptoms – such as fatigue, joint pain and skin rashes – could be due to a variety of other causes.

Access the full article here.