If people had to pick a favorite TV character to be best friends with, no doubt, many would choose the quick-witted, slick-talking and always fly “Pamela James” or "Pam" from the classic sitcom, Martin. The character, made famous by veteran actress and singer Tichina Arnold, was the definition of a true ride-or-die homegirl. In real life, the two-time NAACP Image Award-winning actress is an even better sister, who stands on the frontline alongside her sibling in the fight against a debilitating disease that affects their family and the families of more and more Black women.
“My sister and I started the We Win Foundation…there’s so many women of color and men that suffer from lupus,” Arnold shared in a recent interview with Sway in the Morning. “Everybody knows somebody that has lupus and it is affecting women of color – 3 out of 5 women of color are affected by it.”
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Arnold’s sister, Zenay Arnold, has seven diseases and lupus was the last diagnosis added to her long list. The #ArnoldSisters - as they frequently hashtag their dynamic duo on social media - created the We Win Foundation to bring awareness to lupus and to help people become lupus survivors like Zenay, who’s been living with it for over 10 years.
For Zenay, having the support of her sister has been crucial to managing the disease.
“Living with lupus can be terrifying” Zenay said. “You have so many questions and are on a constant quest for answers. However, being around friends and family who understand the devastating impact of the disease can be a motivating force each day.”
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Lupus is a complex autoimmune disease with no cure to date. The disease affects different parts of the body and...
... shows up differently in each affected person. It may affect the joints, the skin, the lungs, the heart, the kidneys and even the brain.
“Some people who have lupus, they wake up and they can’t brush their teeth, they can’t comb their hair,” said Arnold.
Extreme fatigue is only one of the many symptoms people with lupus may present. If waking up tired all of the time has become your new normal, Arnold suggests seeing a rheumatologist to test for lupus.
READ: Natural Hair Blogger Dies Of Lupus At 27
Through the work of the Foundation, Arnold wants to spread the message that “you can live with lupus ”.
As for her own health, Arnold admittedly isn’t a fan of exercising, but she does stick to one cardinal rule: “I don’t eat anything that’s white. If it’s white it ain’t right!”
For more information on the We Win Foundation, visit their website here.
Visit the BlackDoctor.org Lupus center for more articles.
