Salaam and Hello!

This GoFundMe is on behalf of Sadia, currently residing in Pakistan. She has been suffering from a myriad of autoimmune conditions since childhood. She is currently seeking help from a clinic in the Bay Area, but does not have the funds to sustain her treatment long term.

I am her college roommate and am trying to get her the help she truly deserves. I have seen her suffer firsthand and, due to my own lack of understanding in the beginning, I didn’t fully grasp the extent of what she was going through.

From being misdiagnosed for years by various doctors in Pakistan, to living in an environment where there is very little awareness of autoimmune diseases, acceptance has been extremely difficult for those around her and even within her home. This lack of understanding has made her journey far more emotional and isolating.

Despite this, she has fought tirelessly and has been able to seek guidance online from doctors in India and a few local practitioners. She reached out to me two years ago, and after a long search, we finally found a clinic in the US that could help her. Her treatment has now begun, and we are hoping to sustain it for at least the next 2–3 years so she can reclaim her health and stability.

I will be sharing her story in her own words below.

Help Sadia Rebuild Her Life After a Lifelong Battle with Autoimmune Illnesses

My name is Sadia Rashid, and my life has been a constant battle against rare and complex autoimmune diseases that have left me in both physical and emotional turmoil. From a very young age, I have faced severe health challenges — what began as childhood epilepsy soon turned into a lifelong struggle with chronic pain, fatigue, and neurological issues caused by SLE (Lupus), MCTD, and Sjogren’s Syndrome.

Growing up, my childhood was far from ordinary. While other children played freely, I often lay in bed fighting high fevers, trembling from seizures, or coping with the heavy side effects of epilepsy medications. I missed many school days, unable to focus because of headaches, nausea, and dizziness — yet I never gave up. I held onto hope that education could give me a chance at independence and dignity beyond illness.

Despite constant hospital visits and unpredictable flare-ups, I worked hard and earned a Software Engineering degree from one of Pakistan’s top universities, NUST. But it was not an easy journey. While other students looked forward to weekends and social gatherings, my weekends were spent taking medications, visiting doctors, or simply trying to recover from severe fatigue, fever, or kidney pain.

Each day required many times the effort of a normal student — studying through brain fog, fighting exhaustion, and pushing through pain, fever and allergies just to keep up. Yet I refused to quit, no matter how overwhelming it became.

I thought that after graduation, life would get better and start to make sense — but my health worsened. My body began attacking itself. I developed crippling fatigue, stiffness in my muscles and joints, sharp tailbone and lower back pain, body and facial swelling, inflammation in my mouth and throat, burning and itching sensations, digestive troubles, nausea, constant headaches and other never ending symptoms. My limbs often feel heavy and numb; even walking short distances can leave me exhausted. Some days my vision blurs, my chest aches, my entire body feels inflamed and pain levels reach to 7,8,9 and 10. I also battle severe dryness, hormonal imbalance, painful menstruation, and unbearable sensory overload, where light, noise, or touch can trigger pain.

Everyday life has become a series of silent battles — from getting out of bed to brushing my teeth or eating a meal. Each task demands courage and endurance that most people never have to think about.

Living with these invisible illnesses has not only tested my body but also my spirit. The emotional toll of being misunderstood, judged, or told “it’s all in your head” or “you’re making excuses” has been immense. Life at home has been hard — awareness and acceptance are still lacking, and emotional support is scarce. Each day feels like a struggle to prove that my pain is real and that I am still fighting to live with dignity.

Recently, I began consultation with Dr. Nushka in California, USA, who is helping me find stability after years of health decline. She has given me new hope for healing, but the treatments, diagnostic tests, and supportive therapies are very costly — far beyond what I can afford on my own. Because of my condition, I am unable to work or support myself financially.

This is why I am reaching out with humility and courage — to ask for your help.

Your contribution can help me continue essential treatment, purchase medications, and regain some stability in life. Each donation, no matter the size, brings me closer to relief and recovery after years of suffering.

You’re not just helping with expenses — you’re helping me believe that compassion still exists, that I can heal, and that one day I can use my strength and story to help others fighting silent battles like mine.

Thank you for reading, sharing, and supporting my journey toward healing and hope.

N.B: attaching picture of Sadia in good health doing community work while at NUST.