A woman from KwaZulu-Natal woman Christel Rohrs was diagnosed with facio scapula humeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) in 2019.
According to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, FSHD is a genetic muscle disorder in which the muscles of the face, shoulder blades, and upper arms are among the most affected.
The term muscular dystrophy means progressive muscle degeneration, with increasing weakness and atrophy (loss of bulk) of muscles.
The face, shoulders, and upper arms are the first and most severely affected muscles in FSHD, however, other muscles are usually affected as well.
FSHD is the third most common type of muscular dystrophy, behind Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies and myotonic dystrophy.
The estimated prevalence of FSHD is about 4 cases per 100 000 individuals.
Rohrs shares her journey with disability, personal achievements, aspirations and challenges with SABC Digital News Producer Lebo Tshangela in this bi-weekly feature, Thrive.
She says, “My identity is not in my body and I am not my body because my body is not perfect.”
Below is the full podcast:
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Related: PODCAST: THRIVE Part 4: Single amputee Randi Ndele shares his story
Related: PODCAST: THRIVE Part 7: Journalist and para-athlete star Palesa Manaleng shares her story
Related: THRIVE Part 8: Mosala Makhetha shares his experience of being a Deaf person in SA
Related: PODCAST: THRIVE Part 9: Northern Cape woman with Erb-Duchenne Palsy shares her story
Related: PODCAST: THRIVE Part 10: Single amputee, Robert Masambo shares his story
Related: PODCAST: THRIVE Part 11: A bank employee with visual impairment shares his story
Related: PODCAST: THRIVE Part 12: Politician Poppy Mocumi shares her story about disability
Related: PODCAST: THRIVE Part 13: A businessman who is partially sighted shares his story
Related: PODCAST: THRIVE Part 15: Former MP, Andrew Madella shares his story about disability
