Living with Lupus in Lagos: Misturah Owolabi shares her inspiring journey

“ Lupus is not a death sentence, it is a very manageable condition. Do not believe that Lupus is going to hinder you from achieving your goals.”

At 19, Misturah Abisola Owolabi was full of life. Like any other diligent 300-level university student, she was preparing for her exams, looking forward to her final year at the University of Lagos, while aiming for a first-class degree.

However, her life took an unexpected turn when her health began to decline. She experienced a range of troubling symptoms, including hair loss, chronic fatigue, body pain, and swollen eyes and face.

After undergoing numerous tests and treatments, she received a diagnosis that was unfamiliar to her and her family: Lupus.

The Lagos State Teaching Hospital in Ikeja soon became her second home, and taking various medications became a daily routine. She felt hopeless, facing a disease with no cure, only manageable through ongoing treatments.

One day, an encounter with a nine-year-old boy in her ward, who was also suffering from Lupus, changed her perspective. Despite being bedridden and experiencing more severe symptoms, he optimistically talked about his futu…