My name is Sarah and I am sharing the story of Destiny Davis.

Destiny is a young, vibrant, brilliant, and hard-working young woman who has been absolutely thriving in her mid-20s. Destiny is the light in a room. She walks in and her confidence demands attention. She can make anyone laugh, and she exudes kindness and empathy. Destiny has a BS in Chemistry, and in 2024 she joined the SJ Labs team. Everything was going her way. Destiny was touring new apartments and on the cusp of full independence. This summer, that came to a grinding halt, and Destiny's path took her from a vibrant and healthy 24-year-old to a severely ill and hospital-bound patient. Below is her story and we kindly ask that you help in any way you are able.

In June, Destiny started experiencing mild stomach aches and issues. Over the next two months, the issues persisted and eventually led her to the ER with dehydration. Her story took a rapid and drastic turn for the worse. Over the next two weeks, Destiny dropped substantial amounts of weight, eventually weighing in at 83 lbs. Her severe malnutrition caused her to be hospitalized 2 more times. During her third visit, Destiny was finally diagnosed with Lupus. Lupus is a systemic autoimmune disease that can impact multiple organ systems, as was the case with Destiny. In addition to impacting her GI system, Destiny had impacts on her reproductive system and neurological system. In November, Destiny was diagnosed with Central Nervous System Lupus or CNS Lupus.

CNS lupus is a dangerous and severe escalation of the disease. It includes dysfunction in mobility, severe headaches, memory loss, and difficulty expressing thoughts. Destiny struggled to hold conversations and required assistance in speaking or being reminded of the word she needed. She struggled with remembering simple things or completing simple tasks. Because of the severity of Destiny's disease, she has been unable to work since October. She is now receiving treatment at Emory, and despite improvement, has been left with substantial medical bills and living expenses.