Roxanne Black is the Founder and Executive Director of Friends’ Health Connection, begun when she was only a high school student, shortly after she was diagnosed with Lupus. Her deep felt desire was to share a camaraderie with another teenager with Lupus. Evolving from that point, Friends’ Health Connection connects people with various diseases and conditions to each other. Roxanne Black is a Rutgers graduate, has been appointed the 268th Daily Point of Light by former President George Bush, received a medal from former U.S. Senator Bill Bradley, and was named by USA Today while in college as one of the top eighteen college students in the country. Roxanne Black is the author of the recently published and eagerly awaited Unexpected Blessings: Finding Hope and Healing in the Face of Illness (Avery, 2008).
Roxanne, You’ve come a long way since age 15, when you were diagnosed with Lupus. How do you feel about yourself emotionally now, compared with when you were that teenager?
I think I was very insecure when I was young. You become more secure with yourself while you age - more comfortable in your own skin. Everyone thinks I’m so confident; in some ways I am and some ways I’m not. Exceeding your own expectations builds confidence. I’m surprised that 20 years later I’m still running this organization, considering that I started with nothing.
I’ve made some breakthroughs in healthcare - I’ve sat down with hospital administrators and convinced them to implement my program. In doing so, I’ve found that I’ve knocked down some walls in healthcare. I’ve shown that patients connecting with one another for support can be extremely valuable.
In some ways illness made me grow up faster. I’m proud overall that I’m still here. Illness humbles you, and it allows you to see the world differently.
How do you feel physically?
I feel great now! I’d had arthritic symptoms. The transplant (my second two years ago) was a gift of life. I take medicine everyday and go to the hospital each month for blood work. I stay out of the sun now, and my best time of day is evening. I try not to make illness the focal point of my life. It doesn’t define me.
What has been your greatest challenge in life?
I’ve had several key challenges, but the loss of my mom was the greatest. She died suddenly in 1995 from an asthma attack. She was my rock. Illness brings people together, like nothing else. You bond together on a deeper level. Once I met Christopher Reeve; he told me that he saw a lot of marriages with spinal cord injuries fall apart. The strong marriage catapults you to a higher level.
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