PERSONALHEALTHNEWS.CA A SPECIAL INTEREST SECTION BY MEDIAPLANETMediaplanet spoke with Secret Life of an American
Teenager star Megan Park about living with rheumatoid
arthritis (RA), a chronic autoimmune disease, and how
she balances the disease’s unpredictable nature with her
demanding lifestyle.
Mediaplanet Autoimmune
diseases are notorious for being
difficult to identify. What was your
experience of being diagnosed with
RA?
Megan Park I was diagnosed at
age two, so I think the initial fear
and worry was absorbed by my
parents, who told me that it wasn’t
an easy diagnosis as RA can often
be initially mistaken for other ail-ments. But they always made me
feel that this was just a small part
of my life, not my entire life, which
I’m grateful for.Mediaplanet What knowledge
gaps have you discovered while
liv ing w ith R A?
MP It’s hard to find information
on alternative treatments or all
the other side effects that can
arise. For example, I found that I
developed certain food sensitivi-
ties that made a huge difference
in the occurrence of inflamma-
tion in my body. Living in Cali-
fornia has also had a significant
effect on my pain due to theweather and barometric pressure
changes. These factors aren’t al-
ways talked about as much when
it comes to RA.Mediaplanet How do you
balance your busy career with the
daily struggles associated with RA?
MP I still struggle with the fa-
tigue and it’s probably the hard-
est side effect to manage, espe-cially with long hours on set. I
simply cannot stay up late or go
out on my days off. I have to try
and get as much sleep as possible
and rest my joints every second I
can when I’m on set.Mediaplanet What advice would
you give to someone who has just
been diagnosed with RA or another
autoimmune condition that might
not be w idely understood?
MP Do as much research as you
can on your own. Find a com-
munity and other people going
through the same thing. It’s easy
to feel isolated, so make sure you
find people who understand.Megan Park's
“
Secret Life Off-Screen
My parents always made me feel that
this was just a small part of my life,
not my entire life.
“
Autoim mune diseases include more t han 100
chronic and debilitating conditions such as
psoriasis, multiple sclerosis (MS), Inflamma-
tory bowel disease (IBD), atopic dermatitis,
type 1 diabetes, and multiple forms of arth-
ritis. However, the category remains one of
the most misunderstood and under-recog-
nized group of illnesses.Defining the disease
Autoimmune diseases occur when the
immune system’s normal responses go
awry. When this occurs, the immune system
attacks the very parts of the body it’s designedto protect: healthy cells and tissue. These dis-
eases can affect almost every part of the body,
from skin and eyes to the brain, gastrointes-
tinal, and endocrine systems.
Although autoimmune diseases affect an
estimated two million Canadians, targeting
women three times more often than men,
they can be difficult to diagnose. In fact,
patients have reported seeing up to five phys-
icians over a span of three or four years before
receiving an accurate diagnosis. To compli-
cate the issue, once an individual develops an
autoimmune disease, the odds of developing
another are increased.A growing sense of optimism
Fortunately, there is hope for those affected
by autoimmune diseases. Indeed, there is a
growing sense of optimism in the medical com-
munity based on an increased understanding
of the immune system, why it becomes over-
active, and the role that genetics may play in
the evolution of the diseases. The research and
development of new therapies are improving
patient outcomes and this ground-breaking
work will continue in the years to come. We
are living in an exciting time where progress
in the treatment of autoimmune diseases offers
a bright ray of hope for all Canadians.MediaplanetWidespread, but Under-recognized