Shannon Boxx is a three-time Olympic gold medalist and a World Cup champion with the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team. She was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE, or lupus) in 2007, several years after first noticing unusual symptoms.

Because of lupus, Shannon has managed symptoms such as extreme fatigue, joint pain, and brain fog (problems with thinking and memory). “My lupus symptoms impacted the way that I perform at times, and it also made me fearful of losing my job,” Shannon shared. “When I retired from my sport, my lupus symptoms also impacted the way that I was able to run around with my kids.”

MyLupusTeam members also experience symptoms like brain fog, fatigue, and painful joints. These symptoms can interfere with jobs and family time, just as they do for Shannon. In a survey of MyLupusTeam members, 78 percent reported that lupus disrupts work or school. One member said, “My fatigue is out of control lately. 🙄 Unfortunately, I have been missing so many days from work.”

Sixty-six percent of surveyed members said that lupus negatively affects their family relationships. One MyLupusTeam member expressed sentiments similar to Shannon’s: “I am a very dedicated mom, but with my health issues, I feel like a failure at times because I can’t push through.”

Opening Up About Life With Lupus

Shannon hasn’t let lupus symptoms stop her from pursuing her passions on and off the soccer field. She won all three of her Olympic medals after noticing symptoms that she later learned were related to lupus, earning two of those medals after she was officially diagnosed. Her World Cup win also followed her lupus diagnosis.

Although Shannon didn’t let lupus stop her from pursuing excellence in soccer, she wasn’t open about her condition until 2012. During an interview that year, she said that she worried publicly sharing her diagnosis would negatively affect her soccer career.

When Shannon did finally open up about her journey, she was met with support and positive feedback. “I had no idea that telling my story could inspire so many other people — people that have lupus, people that don’t have lupus — and I’m so happy now that I have chosen to speak about this,” she said in a 2012 University of Notre Dame interview.

3 Top Tips for Boosting Energy

Being open about her disease and sharing what she’s learned along the way has given Shannon the opportunity to help other people with lupus. Shannon offers these three tips that worked for her to manage lupus and boost energy:

1. Prioritize nutrition, medicine, and exercise.
2. Build a strong support network.
3. Give yourself a lot of grace.

“I’ve learned how to control what I can control, and I’ve also built a support system around me,” Shannon said.

Shannon uses her platform to provide support and encouragement for others living with lupus. “My hope is that you choose to fight,” she said, “because I’m going to be fighting for you and for me.”

Watch the video to learn more about how Shannon manages her condition and navigates life with lupus.