SierraNewsOnline is all about celebrating people who are up to something. In their jobs, in their communities and in their lives. Amanda DeMasters is one of those people, and we want to celebrate her!
Amanda took the very huge and very scary step of writing about her disease, Interstitial Cystitis (IC), and putting it out there for everyone to see. And now it will be seen by people all over the world on an IC awareness website.
The piece she wrote for S|N|O, “I Have IC, But It Doesn’t Have Me” was eloquent and heartfelt, and gave people a glimpse into the pains and triumphs of dealing with IC. Not only for herself, but for her family.
After she sent it to me, and before we posted it, I know she was a nervous wreck. Stressing about exposing too much of her personal struggles. Worrying that she didn’t write it well enough. Excited about the possibilities of making contact with others near her with this disease who might join her in a support group.
“I’m just nervous and anxious and excited and happy and all these emotions are going through me!!!” she wrote me. “Will you call me when it goes up? :)”
Well she needn’t have worried about not writing well, I didn’t need to edit Amanda. She expressed herself beautifully, and with such heart that her piece was picked up and published on the support website www.icawareness.org.
Thanks for stepping out of your “dis”-comfort zone and sharing this with everyone, Amanda. You may never know who you may have touched.
http://www.icawareness.org/amanda-demasters-writes-great-article-for-the-sierra-news
Courage comes in ways that we never imagined. Nice job!