Menu
Log in




Olympic Inspiration: Athlete Battles Autoimmune Disorder to Medal in Tokyo

23 Aug 2021 12:51 PM | Anonymous

Grenada's Kirani James celebrates winning the bronze medal in the men's 400m final during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Olympic Stadium on Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Caribbeanlifenews.comThere were many inspirational stories coming out of the Tokyo Olympics. However one that may have particularly stood out to the LFJ community was that of Kirani James of Grenada. The 2012 400m Olympic champion experienced major setbacks after his diagnosis with the autoimmune condition Grave's disease in 2017 and the loss of his mother in 2019. But on August 5, against a stellar line up, James staged an amazing comeback to win a Bronze medal, his third consecutive Olympic medal in that event.

Graves disease, like Lupus, is an autoimmune condition, in which the body’s natural defence system becomes dysfunctional and attacks healthy tissues, causing inflammation and illness. In Grave’s disease, this inflammation primarily targets the thyroid gland, a gland at the front of the neck that produces hormones critical for regulating the body’s metabolism.

James’ story recalls that of other athletes who have fought autoimmune disorders to stand out in their fields. One such person is famed US Olympian Gail 

Yolanda Devers Olympics.com https://olympics.com/en/athletes/yolanda-gail-devers-roberts

Devers who battled severe Grave's disease that threatened to end her career. After embarking on an intensive and lifelong treatment programme, Devers came back to win consecutive Olympic Gold in Barcelona and Atlanta. She continued to compete with distinction until age 40 and today remains an advocate for Grave's disease awareness with the goal of making sure that millions affected “are under a doctor’s care”. She told CNN news:

"I believe I'm stronger at having to go through what I went through ... Everybody's faced with challenges. We all feel like sometimes walls are closing in on us and there's no way out.What do you do? You remember that strength and resilience that you have when you step on the line."

Venus Williams Photo Credit: Wikipedia.orgTennis star Venus Williams also endured debilitating symptoms of Sjogren's syndrome for 7 years before being diagnosed in 2011, coming back to win gold in 2012 and 2016 Olympics. In an interview with Prevention Magazine in 2019, Williams had this advice for persons battling autoimmune disease. "Don’t be discouraged, because what [you're] going through is similar to other people," she says. "Talk to those people who understand you or have a similar condition, reach out, and build a [support] team. Don’t isolate yourself. Don’t give up."

As we salute our athletes who gave their all in Tokyo, we want to also recognise all our brave lupus warriors, everyday heroes who who defy the challenges and continue to step out on the line of life each day and inspire others. We salute you!

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/07/06/sport/gail-devers-olympics-graves-disease-spt-intl/index.html

https://www.prevention.com/health/a28446557/venus-williams-sjogren-syndrome/

Lupus Foundation of Jamaica is a volunteer-run, member-based charitable organisation in operation since 1984, dedicated to improving the lives and outcomes of persons with lupus through information, support, advocacy and research. To learn more, join, volunteer or donate visit www.lupusfoundationjamaica.orgor call the help line at 8767783892.



7 Barbados Avenue
Kingston 5, Jamaica, W.I.
876-754-8458

Helpline
876-778-3892 (Voice/Text/Whatsapp)

Email: info@lupusfoundationjamaica.org


Learning Centre Hours
Monday - Friday
9:00am-4:00pm 

Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software