JASMIN’S STORY

While she didn’t have a name for her condition, Jasmin endured symptoms her entire life. She spent a lot of time getting shuffled to different specialists who inevitably couldn’t give her answers. After several doctors and dozens of negative laboratory results, she began to wonder if her symptoms were all in her head. Jasmin majored in Clinical Laboratory Science at Winston-Salem State University, and once she learned about different aspects of laboratory testing, she suggested tests for her doctors to order. Working together, they made a diagnosis: Behçet’s disease, an inflammatory disorder that typically affects those living in the Middle East or Far East.

Jasmin received her diagnosis the day before her 25th birthday. While she felt relieved to finally have a name for all her symptoms—she wasn’t imagining things, after all!—she was also scared. She learned to live with Behçet's disease one day at a time, even if some days she embraces it and others she's angry at the world. Over time she’s discovered having a positive outlook, a solid support group, and advocating for others helps her achieve her dreams.

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Hear Jasmine on the Inside the Lab Podcast Season 1 Episode 10 on the importance of empowered patients