Hello, my name is Kim and I’m a runner. On Sunday October 17, 2021 I ran the Scotiabank half marathon. My goal was to bring awareness to my community of family and friends about HS, and to collect any donation amount to help HS Heroes in providing further education and awareness as well.

Once upon a time, I felt like I was so alone, but have since realized there is a whole community of support and knowledge. It's not going to happen overnight, and it will take some time, but keep your head up!

You might have just been diagnosed, but know that this is not the end of the world and you can be healthy, beautiful, strong, rich or smart. JUST NEVER GIVE UP!

be your own advocate. It’s going to take time to figure out what’s best for you, and you’ll have days where you don’t want to stick to the plan. Just know it’s okay to have some off days and don’t apply pressure to yourself to do more than you can. 

One tip I would tell someone who has recently been diagnosed with HS is that if you have pain, to acknowledge it instead of putting it aside and ignoring it. If I could say anything to an HS Hero who is struggling, I would tell them that I know it is hard but to keep fighting and they will get through it just fine.

Telling people was the best thing I could have done. I have not had any negative reaction to having HS, and if someone I know did say something mean or negative to me about it, I would not keep in touch with them. Simple as that!

Healthy living has been the biggest factor in the treatment of my HS. I tried other medical routes (ie. anti-biotics, Humira, etc). It wasn’t until I saw a Naturopath and was tested for food sensitivities that I made some major life changes and noticed a difference in my HS!

Some would say that because it is not visible, HS does not exist. Whether it's my family or my friends, even though they're close to me they don't understand how hard it can be. 

get yourself referred to a Dermatologist who has experience treating HS.  There are many more treatments available now compared to when I was first diagnosed and a Dermatologist can tell you about them. Have faith and work with them through this. 

you didn't choose to have it so you also don't need to hide it. We are Warriors and if we deal with this pain on the daily, then there's nothing that can stop us!