When a support group changes someone鈥檚 life for the better, it also has the potential to improve the lives of others in a ripple effect. 

That has been the experience of 91原创 resident, Sarah Aragones, who credits the Fibromyalgia Well Spring Foundation in Aldergrove with re-establishing her strength and determination so that she can do the same for others.

She hasn鈥檛 had an easy journey to arriving at the best version of herself. At age 39, she鈥檚 been navigating the health-care system for more than half her life without the foundations many of us would need to persist in finding answers.

Her family was filled with active people who thought having a disability was a death sentence.  

鈥淣avigating having significant illnesses that make it so that I鈥檓 unable to work a career makes me useless in a lot of people鈥檚 eyes,鈥� she told The Star.

鈥淭his is going to affect me for the rest of my life and I can grieve that and it doesn鈥檛 make me weak.鈥�

Weak is perhaps the last term someone speaking to Aragones would think of to describe her.

In her early teens, when she began menstruating, she experienced extreme pain. She was told 鈥渆veryone gets cramps,鈥� but she knew her situation wasn鈥檛 normal, despite no one taking her seriously.

鈥淚 was diagnosed with stage four endometriosis and that was 2014,鈥� she said.

She went through three surgeries in 2015, which improved her quality of life significantly, but she could tell there was more to her condition.

As is often the case for those who experience long-term, chronic, undiagnosed illness, Aragones grew used to hearing that her problems were in her head. Post-surgery, she was told to get used to her situation because it was as good as it would get. 

She鈥檇 had to leave her job to focus on her body鈥檚 needs. Then, at a routine massage therapy appointment, it was suggested she might have fibromyalgia. She told her doctor. 

鈥淚 basically said, 鈥業 don鈥檛 know what this is, but my massage therapist thinks I might have it鈥�,鈥� Aragones recalled.

鈥淪he did a pressure test. Then she said, 鈥業t looks very clearly like this is a positive, but I don鈥檛 know enough about this.鈥� I didn鈥檛 know what it was either.鈥�

More waiting to see a specialist, but eventually she got in for her diagnosis. 

鈥淔irst, I met with an intake nurse,鈥� she recounted. 鈥淣obody had ever spent that length of time with me to listen to me. To not be interrupted, not be gaslit and not be dismissed. It was so validating.鈥�

The diagnosis was fibromyalgia and ME-CFS, formerly known as chronic fatigue syndrome. But despite the diagnosis, she was told there wasn鈥檛 much anyone could do for her.

She knew what was wrong, but not what to do about it. 

She鈥檇 been well-supported in the job she鈥檇 found following her surgeries, but felt she wasn鈥檛 able to give in the way she wanted. Together, she and her employer decided she should take a medical leave. 

鈥淚 would get tremors where I couldn鈥檛 pick up the phone or write with a pen,鈥� Aragones said. 鈥淚 was in a really toxic marriage and I had no quality of life. It was really discouraging for me to lose my second job.鈥� 

In 2018, about a year after being diagnosed, she decided, boldly, to take an afternoon for herself and visit a women鈥檚 expo in Cloverdale. It was one of the best things she ever did. She saw the purple banner and the word fibromyalgia and started asking questions. 

鈥淚 passed by the table where Cheryl [Young] and Nigel [Thom] were sitting,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey sat with me for like, half an hour.鈥�

Young, the founder and executive director of Fibromyalgia Well Spring Foundation and Thom, the business manager, encouraged her to come to a support group. The rest, as the saying goes, is history.

She credits the organization with helping her in many ways and in doing so, it has given her the ability to help others. 

鈥淲e teach each other how to advocate with doctors鈥� about asking questions. Helping navigate that system has been huge,鈥� Aragones explained. 鈥淲e give each other a heads-up about certain deals. Most of us are on disability or are poor.鈥�

Adding to the health challenges, she and her young daughter left an abusive marriage after finding support from the group. 

鈥淭hey helped me leave my marriage, they helped me find affordable housing, they helped me when I couldn鈥檛 afford food,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hese are people who aren鈥檛 rich for the most part. These are people who are also struggling, who are supporting people who are struggling.鈥�

Fundraisers, like the upcoming That '70s Show event on Tuesday, May 13, at Adrian鈥檚 at the Airport, bring that support to people who need it.

Tickets for the Fibromyalgia Well Spring Foundation event are $80 per person for a gourmet buffet dinner, silent auction, draws, and the songs of ABBA performed by Alyssa Nielsen.     

Funds raised allow for the support group to continue and any extra money goes towards little extras people greatly appreciate. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 not huge things, but if we have the money, we鈥檙e able to support the people who need it,鈥� explained Aragones. 

She鈥檚 been on the board of the organization and continues to be actively involved, but has needed to scale back slightly to parent her youngster. When opportunities have arisen to do more, she鈥檚 grabbed them because of the skills she gained through the support group. One of those opportunities was enroling in the Complex Chronic Diseases Program at B.C. Women鈥檚 Hospital and Health Centre, which has a lengthy waitlist. 

鈥淭hat program helped me immensely. I was able to bring the knowledge I was learning in the program back to the group,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat relationship allowed me to help so many people who would not normally have access to that program.鈥�

She鈥檚 also been part of the endometriosis pain clinic and could share information from that, because, as she鈥檚 learned, there is a correlation between endometriosis and fibromyalgia. Together with Young, she鈥檚 also learning that a large number of people within the support group have been through abusive relationships. She鈥檚 exploring why that connection might exist. 

But mostly, she鈥檚 celebrating the ability to live completely and share her journey with others. 

鈥淚鈥檓 finally at a place where I can accept my body how it is and not feel cheated,鈥� Aragones said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been able to teach my child that I am strong and mighty and that I need a little bit more time to rest.鈥�