Hi! My name is Sophia, and I’m an artist/illustrator living in Northern California with my husband, four children and two dogs.I am 32 years old, I was diagnosed with Friedreich’s Ataxia at the age of 13 (an awkward transitional time as it is, and a hard one to accept facing life with a progressive disease). At 19, I was diagnosed with "childhood” osteosarcoma (bone cancer), also rare and seemingly unrelated. I underwent 7 months of intensive chemotherapy, and a knee replacement to remove the cancer. That surgery affected me greatly, especially as it had to be redone twice in the following two years. It left me mostly reliant on a wheelchair, though through exercise and nutrition, I trained myself back to health as much as I could. In dealing with this physical ordeal, I discovered my artistic calling, and used it to overcome.
I met my husband soon after at college, and soon discovered that I could, in fact, have children! A blessing, I gave birth to a son, followed by his two little brothers and a soon-to-be sister. Our oldest is now nearly 10. I like to share about health and nutrition as well as inspire others that pregnancy and motherhood are possible, not only in the face of a debilitating disorder, but also after surviving cancer.Another passion of mine lies in sharing how the multifaceted world of art can be used as therapy, not only emotionally speaking, but also mentally and physically.
A great way to spread this inspiration is through the FARA Ambassador Program. Also, it’s great to be part of a strong community and team, working to spread awareness and find a cure!
