Your Story Our Fight by Lupus LA

Season FOUR Episode SIX of the Your Story Our Fight® podcast welcomes Olivia Abousaid. Master Certified Grief and Transformation Coach, Olivia Abousaid understands the profound significance of resilience through her own journey. She was diagnosed with discoid lupus and SLE in July of 2021. Olivia has cultivated a deep appreciation for personal growth and transformation while navigating the limitations of chronic illness. Based in Los Angeles, she harnesses her life experiences and coaching expertise to empower individuals to transform grief into action and empowerment. Olivia's coaching transcends one-size-fits-all solutions. She creates a safe, supportive space for clients to explore their unique goals, navigate grief, overcome challenges, and embrace their authentic selves.

Season FOUR Episode FIVE of the Your Story Our Fight® podcast welcomes Sheba Family Zaman. As a computer scientist, Sheba has spent the last 20 years working in a technical software role with the quality department of pharmaceutical and life science companies. Her role spans from pre-sales technical information to professional services post-sale with the goal of digitizing critical data that can affect patient safety. She speaks regularly at industry conferences on data integrity and contamination control strategies for aseptic drug manufacturers. She was recently President of non-profit organization – the Parenteral Drug Association, SouthernCalifornia Chapter – for an elected term of 2 years. It is an educational organization dedicated to the connection of science, people, and regulation in a non-bias platform. In June of 2006, Dr. Dan Wallace diagnosed Sheba with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Nephritis following struggles with frequent fevers, joint/muscle pain, debilitating fatigue, visibly swollen lymph nodes, and hair loss. Born and raised in Montréal, she soon moved to Southern California to be closer to her family and support system. After grappling with the side effects of strong medications and some tough love counseling from her sister, she started to take her health into her own hands and has spent the last decade avidly reading and educating herself on Lupus and optimal health. Today, Sheba lives in Santa Monica and leads a very active lifestyle as a certified yoga instructor, scuba diver, tennis player, skier, beach volleyball player, runner, and global adventure traveler. She is now working to give back to the community and advocate for Lupus.

Season FOUR Episode FOUR of the Your Story Our Fight® podcast welcomes Mercedes Yvette. Mercedes Yvette Shorte gained fame as a contestant on America’s Next Top Model, leading to a successful 20-year career in modeling and acting. She later became a spokesperson for the Lupus Foundation of America, advocating for awareness and funding on a national level.
Now, Mercedes channels her passion into the luxury design world through Luxe Design Living, providing tailored furnishings and décor solutions to the design community and beyond. Representing high-end manufacturers, she brings exquisite products to life in both residential and commercial spaces, blending artistry with functionality.

Season FOUR Episode THREE of the Your Story Our Fight® podcast welcomes Tiffany Kaloustian. Functional Medicine Health Practitioner, and Certified Naturopathic Practitioner. Tiffany's personal journey battling severe lupus has fueled her passion for helping others find their path to wellness. She is well versed in a variety of holistic healing modalities, including nervous system regulation, Vagal tone, nutrition, detoxing, mindful practices, movement, and purposeful supplement protocols. Tiffany shares not only her profound personal story of battling and overcoming lupus, but also how she uses her expertise to change lives daily.  

Season FOUR Episode TWO of the Your Story Our Fight® podcast welcomes Charissa Barsos. Charissa is a nurse practitioner with over 15 years of medical experience. She graduated with her BSN from Millikin University in Decatur, IL, in 2010 and worked as a cardiothoracic surgery RN for 5 years. Charissa graduated with her FNP from Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, IL, in 2015 and DNP from Indian Wesleyan University in Marion, IN, in 2023. She has been a nurse practitioner for almost 10 years and is currently practicing in a tribal health facility in Northern California. She is board-certified in diabetes management. She resides with her husband and son in Northern California. Charissa has been living with lupus symptoms since her early teens but has been diagnosed for about 5 years. She is currently continuing to pursue treatment for her lupus.

Season FOUR Episode ONE of the Your Story Our Fight® podcast welcomes Elizabeth Lo Serro. As a certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Elizabeth helps clients alleviate fatigue, pain, and rashes while promoting the growth of beautiful, healthy hair. Through her unique approach, Elizabeth empowers people to feel energized, resilient, and radiant. With her expertise in holistic health and her own lived experience with Lupus for 21 years, having been diagnosed at 5 years old, Elizabeth's mission is to build bridges between individuals and their health goals, fostering transformative journeys towards vibrant well-being.

Season THREE Episode EIGHTEEN of the Your Story Our Fight® podcast welcomes Dion Langley. Dion was born and raised in Portsmouth, Va. He was diagnosed with
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus ( SLE ) in 2010. Dion decided to use his career as a professional drummer as an avenue to promote Lupus advocacy. Dion also established the #BeatLupus organization as a place where people affected by Lupus can meet in person to provide individual with emotional support, practical advice for living with Lupus and information about treatment and management strategies. In 2020 Dion released "BEAT IT LIKE A DRUM," a song dedicated to the Lupus community with the understanding that we will BEAT LUPUS motivate patients to keep fighting.

Season THREE Episode SEVENTEEN of the Your Story Our Fight® podcast welcomes Molly McCabe. Molly McCabe began her career at the young age of 16 when she joined the inaugural board for the Kids Making Miracles program at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. She also was part of the founding family that created Potluck in the Park in 1993 where she served the homeless every Sunday for three years.  Molly worked as a CASA and served on the Family Council of the Scripps family.
Molly and her mother, Debbie McCabe, created the nonprofit, Molly’s Fund Fighting Lupus, in 2007 and she served on the board for ten years there.  Molly has been a lupus advocate for over 17 years, wherein she was a patient advocate for GlaxoSmithKline, and reviewed grants for the Lupus Research Program at the Department of Defense CDMRP for three years. 
She was given the Spirit Award from the Autoimmune Advocacy Alliance in 2014 for extraordinary spirit, dedication and community support while living with autoimmunity.  In 2019, Molly was honored at the Breaking Through Gala for the Lupus Research Alliance.  She also received the 2021 Community Spirit Award from the Randall Children’s Hospital Kite Society.
Currently, she is on the board of the Lupus Research Alliance, Randall Children’s Hospital, and the Mirimar Impact Fund.  In 2019, she established the Karen Reiter Scholarship at the James Toland Vocal Arts Competition and is the Business Manager for Mata Advocacy and Support.  She has serves as a judge for the White House Fellowship program for the past two years. She is also the proprietor of an art gallery in Portland, Oregon, “The Lobby.” Molly McCabe is the founder of the Use Your Voice competition.

Season THREE Episode SIXTEEN of the Your Story Our Fight® podcast welcomes Racquel Dozier. Racquel H. Dozier is a passionate lupus advocate, educator, and the founder of Lupus In Color. Her mission is to educate, inspire, encourage, and empower lupus warriors and their supporters worldwide. Through Lupus In Color, Racquel advocates for lupus warriors one butterfly at a time, striving to make a positive impact in the lives of those affected by lupus. 

Season THREE Episode FIFTEEN of the Your Story Our Fight® podcast welcomes Shanelle Gabriel. Shanelle Gabriel is a spoken word poet, singer, education consultant, and lupus warrior from Brooklyn, NY. She has shared her fusion of poetry and soulful singing in esteemed venues from The Vatican to Lincoln Center, and has penned and featured in national poetry campaigns with Pandora Music, NFL Draft, and more. With over 18 years as an educator, she uses the arts to facilitate workshops on creating culturally supportive work and learning spaces. She is the mother of three albums, which are available on all streaming platforms, and aims to show others they can live a full life while battling a chronic illness.