When Shemiah Sanchez was 14 years old, something felt different.
She was fatigued.
She felt like she was going to pass out all the time.
The LSU sophomore third baseman thought it would pass. The doctors did, too. But it didn’t.
That something turned out to be the chronic autoimmune disease lupus.
“At first, I thought lupus was just like the flu and it will go away,” she said. “It was just something I had to accept and just embrace it.”
Lupus can damage any part of the body, including the skin and various organs, according to the Lupus Foundation of America.
There is an estimated 1.5 million Americans living with lupus, but no large scale studies have been conducted to show the actual number of people that have been diagnosed with lupus.
Sanchez knew nothing about the disease and didn’t know anyone that had been diagnosed before, which was scary for her.
But she continued to battle through the disease.
During her four years at East Coweta High School in Newnan, Georgia, Sanchez was a two-time All-State selection and finished her career holding 15 individual season and career records.
There was no question that Sanchez would play softball at the next level.
Her parents decided to keep her condition a secret while she was being recruited, for fear that schools would lose interest if they knew.
Keeping her disease a secret during recruitment carried on for a while.
Now Sanchez has no problem sharing that she has lupus.
“Over the years of me coming out about it and talking about it and sharing with my teammates, I’ve loved telling people about it more,” she said. It’s gotten easier to talk about.”
Sanchez said the support of her teammates and coaches has helped her get through even the worst days.
“They know when I’m having a bad day,” Sanchez said. “They know how to pick me up. Even during workouts if they see me struggling, they’ll just check up on me and get me through it.”
Sanchez pushes through each workout, which can serve as motivation for the Tigers.
“We can sit here and complain about the little nit-picky things,” sophomore outfielder Akiya Thymes said. “But then we look at Shemiah going all out and knowing what’s going on with her internally. It just gives us a reason to not complain.”
One thing that Sanchez has asked of her teammates is that they not treat her any differently.
Lupus affects each person differently, and for Sanchez, the fatigue and joint pain are what get the best of her.
She travels to Atlanta each month for chemotherapy because lupus directly affects her kidneys, and she does routine lab tests that monitor her lupus activity with the trainers at LSU.
Being in the sun for an extended period of time can being draining for Sanchez and can also cause skin irritation or of lupus flare-ups.
Small day-to-day adjustments that Sanchez has made are cutting out red meats from her diet and wearing a face mask during games and practice to avoid any flare-ups.
None of this stops Sanchez.
“The lupus doesn’t define me,” she said. “It’s just something I have. I’m still able to do what other people can do. I want to show other with people with not even just lupus, but other chronic diseases that they can still live out their dreams and do what they want to do.”
Sanchez has played a key part in the Tigers’ defense at third base.
“It’s amazing and huge credit to her and her work ethic for what she’s been through this year,” coach Beth Torina said. “Not only has she done it, but she has really outworked a majority of the team while going through this.”
Sanchez has started 30 games through the season thus far and is batting .351 with 18 runs.
“She might not have gotten the results she wanted last year, but she’s worked ever since then and she’s earned that starting spot,” Thymes said.
As for the disease she continues to overcome, Sanchez wants to take steps to bring more awareness to the disease.
“It makes me feel good to show others they can still accomplish their goals and work hard no matter how tough things get just keep pushing,” Sanchez said.
‘The lupus doesn’t define me’: Sanchez perseveres despite lupus disease
April 6, 2017
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