Help Kendra Fight Severe Lupus and Recover from a Life-Alter

My name is Kendra Strother, and I’m reaching out for support as I battle severe lupus. It has been a long, overwhelming journey that began in March 2023 when my job sent me to urgent care due to intense chest pain. Urgent care sent me to Bronx Lebanon Care Hospital after my EKG raised concerns. They eventually sent me home, thinking I was experiencing a panic attack. But things quickly took a turn for the worse.

In April 2023, my job required an updated physical, and by then, I was rapidly losing weight, struggling with heavy fatigue, and dealing with joint pain. Despite these alarming symptoms, my primary care physician at the William F Ryan Center dismissed my concerns. I lost another 10-15 pounds and ended up back in the ER, this time at St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital. Initially, they thought I had a viral infection and prescribed antibiotics, but my condition continued to worsen.

A week later, I returned to St. Luke’s ER, where they discovered blood clots in my arms and chest. I was immediately referred to a hematologist at Mount Sinai East Hospital. From April through June, I underwent extensive testing and scans. The possibility of lymphoma, a type of cancer, was raised. I had multiple lymph node removal surgeries and biopsies, both surgical and non-surgical, and was sent home with various medications, including blood thinners and high blood pressure meds.

One week later, my mom found me nearly unresponsive, and I was rushed back to Mount Sinai. More tests followed, and a rheumatologist was added to my care team. My prognosis shifted to an autoimmune disease as my lungs, kidneys, and heart began to fail. I flatlined during my first hospital admission and became septic after a later groin surgery. Over this period, I had nine surgeries and flatlined two times along with undergoing severe neurotoxicity . On June 30th, I was diagnosed with severe lupus, including Lupus Erythematosus and Lupus Nephritis.

Due to being septic, I had to stop lupus treatment. I also underwent two blood transfusions. After my third hospital admission, doctors found that I am in the top 10 percentile for chronic and severe lupus. From July to September, I endured constant hospitalizations for severe flare-ups and treatments. On the week of my birthday, September 24th, the rheumatology team proposed two treatments—Benlysta and Saphnelo—but neither worked even at the highest dosages.

With my condition worsening, I agreed to explore a clinical trial called CAR-T therapy. If approved, I would be the first patient at Mount Sinai with an autoimmune disease to receive this treatment. After months of waiting, I’m now in the process of starting this treatment with the hope it will put my lupus into remission.

This journey has been incredibly difficult, both physically and financially. I’ve lost over 70 pounds, had to stop working, and my mom had to quit her job to become my full-time caregiver. My family and I are facing tremendous debt, and the financial strain of ongoing treatments and care has become unbearable.

I’m asking for your help. Any contribution, no matter how small, will go directly toward my medical expenses and supporting my family as we navigate this challenging time. Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for any support you can offer.