I've always had to fight for my health. I had my left leg amputated at age 1 due to a birth defect, and I was born with the sickle cell anemia trait.

When I was 21, I watched my mom die from complications of sickle cell anemia. 

I had open-heart surgery for a heart defect discovered in my 20s. Then, I had fibroid surgery six months later.

Up to that point, I'd been through a lot, so I was overwhelmed...