What is it like to have psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis? Let me tell you.
When you have psoriasis, your immune system has gone haywire. It tells your body to make skin cells at five times the rate of a “normal” person. These cells have nowhere to go, so they pile up on the surface of the skin in thick patches that crack and bleed.
When you have psoriasis you’re consumed by itch. It keeps you up at night and interferes with your work day. Though it’s an autoimmune disease and not contagious, people think that they’ll catch what you’ve got. They stare at you in public places, move away from you on the bus and ask you to leave public pools and hair salons.
When you have psoriatic arthritis—and up to 30 percent of people with psoriasis eventually will—your body attacks its tendons and joints causing pain, swelling and destruction. The pain is tremendous. It greets you when you get up in the morning and follows you throughout the day. Your fingers and toes may swell. You can no longer wear your wedding ring.
For these reasons and so much more, please support my dream of a life free of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis and its burdens by supporting my Cycle team.
Team NPF Cycle raises money to provide people with psoriatic disease the services they need to live well, while funding research for a cure.
There are TWO ways you can help me today:
- Join our team and ride with us! Click on the JOIN TEAM button above and help us raise critical research dollars.
- Support our team! Click on the SUPPORT US button to donate to the team or click on the ROSTER tab to donate to an individual on the team.
Thank you so much for your support of this project that is so important to me.
