Tichina Arnold's Sister, Zenay, Discusses How Her Lupus Affected Her Family

When Tichina Arnold's younger sister, Zenay, was diagnosed with lupus and five other autoimmune disorders in the mid-2000s, it was life-changing for the whole family. Zenay, a self-described "sickly child" growing up, finally felt that her mysterious ailments "made sense," but the diagnosis was still hard on everyone.

"[Doctors] literally gave me five to seven years to live," Zenay says.

As Zenay struggled to accept the prognosis, Tichina went into research overdrive, scouring every resource she could find to learn more about lupus and treatment options. Zenay couldn't be more grateful. "During that time, I felt her love," Zenay says of her sister.

These days, Zenay remains focused on the present rather than the future. "I'm taking it day by day," she says. "Some days are great; some days aren't. But I decided to live, so fighting every day is what I do."

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