Solange Knowles has revealed that she was diagnosed with three chronic illnesses in 2018.
The 38-year-old musician explained that she has POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome), MCAS (mast cell activation syndrome) and Sjögren’s syndrome, a long-term autoimmune disease that primarily affects the body’s exocrine glands.
“Sending u so much love and strength Shaun and to all in the comments struggling with the debilitating, confusing, and lonely symptoms of POTS !” Solange wrote, responding to an Instagram post from Shaun Ross, the model and musician, who shared about his own experience with POTS and Long COVID. “I got diagnosed with POTS, Sjogrens and Mcas in 2018 and really relate to not wanting your health to be your identity. The good folks at @dysautonomiaintl were really an incredible resource for me and I feel really grateful for the spoonie community for holding me down during my times of complete uncertainty! Sending an abundance of love your way!”
“[T]hank you so much Solange,” Shaun, 33, responded. “You’ve known me since I was a teen and how energetic I can be. This definitely changed my entire outlook on so much try to navigate this entirely. I appreciate you so much. Sending love.”
Thanks for sharing their stories
It became a three-way conversation when message was posted from the Instagram account of Dysautonomia International, a non-profit that seeks to improve the lives of individuals living with autonomic nervous system disorders.
“It’s a small world,” it said. “We’ve been chatting with @shaunross for awhile. Hugs to both of you and everyone living with this stuff. Thank you both for speaking up and sharing your stories to raise awareness.”
Why Solange missed AfroPunk in 2017
Back in 2017, Solange pulled out of a planned performance at AfroPunk in South Africa because of her battle with an autonomic disorder.
“Still not sure what exactly or how much I want to share,” she shared on Instagram at the time. “However it’s so important to me for the people in South Africa, a place that has tremendous meaning to me and that has given me SO SO MUCH, to know why I won’t be performing at Afro Punk this NYE. The past five months I have been quietly treating, and working through an Autonomic Disorder. It been a journey that hasn’t been easy on me… Sometimes I feel cool, and other times not so cool at all. It’s a complicated diagnosis, and I’m still learning so much myself, but right now, my doctors are not clearing me for such an extended lengthy flight, and doing a rigorous show right after… I can’t thank Afro Punk enough for their support, and to all of the other festivals this past summer/fall who have known about my health, kept it confidential, and gone out of their way to make me feel supported while doing these shows.”
