This week’s story features Katie Spilka who shares her story of being diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease called scleroderma at age 16 and how CrossFit and a positive outlook have helped her put her symptoms into remission.

Katie was an everyday teenager when she first experienced unusual symptoms, including numbness in her fingers.  Because of her family’s medical history, Katie’s mom advocated for her to see a rheumatologist, and conversations with the doctor revealed that symptoms Katie had thought were normal were actually signs of scleroderma.

After 5 years of treatment involving some heavy hitting medications, Katie worked with her doctor to begin weaning off some of her prescriptions.  Says Katie, “At this time I was 20 years old and scared yet relieved that I would be able to feel “normal” again. I knew I needed to do more for myself to keep myself well.”

She made the leap to join a CrossFit affiliate and the workouts and community were instrumental in helping her re-build strength she had lost to her disease, as well as providing an incentive to improve her nutrition.

As an adult, Katie, inspired by her rheumatologist, has gone on to become a nurse so that she can help care for others.  She continues to experience remission from her symptoms and says, “I have now been weaned off all my medications that I was taking for my scleroderma and trying to take it one day at a time taking the best care of myself that I can!”

You can connect with Katie via Instagram @kspilkz

Related Episodes:

Ep 99 - Dr. Axel Pflueger on Fighting Chronic Disease with Fitness

Ep 169- Taking Control of Multiple Sclerosis with Jasmine Joy

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Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice. We recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns