Take ACTION for Psoriatic Disease 2025

Take ACTION for Psoriatic Disease

At 10, I was diagnosed with scalp psoriasis. Though confused by what that meant, I was ready to begin treatments. After years of trialing steroids, topicals, alternative medicine, home remedies I found online, nothing seems to be a sustainable option. As I went through puberty, my psoriasis worsened, growing to my body — first at my elbows, then to my legs, trunk, nails, and even my face. As a teenage girl, it was incredibly difficult to face my peers as I attempted to cover up as much as I could and did everything to avoid stares or comments. It wasn’t until I was introduced to a newly approved biologic medication when I was 17, that I finally saw full skin clearance. 

 

Amazed at the power of cutting-edge biomedical research and how changes like new therapies can dramatically improve quality of life, I became interested in autoimmunity research, hoping to better understand why patients develop autoimmune disorders and what can be done to treat it. I also yearned to find a community of patients like me that I could share my story with, and joined NPF as a patient advocate and volunteer. Inspired by my own experiences with psoriasis and engaging with the NPF community, I hope to one day be a bridge between patients, research, and clinical care. I have since began my MD-PhD program at UCSF this fall, but when I’m not studying, you can probably find me trying new restaurants and cafes, in the kitchen baking or cooking, going on walks around SF, rock climbing, or drawing!