Health & Wellness
Living With Lupus : The Toni Braxton Story
In 2008, singer Toni Braxton was diagnosed with Lupus after collapsing while performing in Las Vegas. Her movie gives insight into the life of Toni.
[Yesterday I watched the Toni Braxton story for like the 5th time. It was playing on the BET Networks. Growing up, my mother was a huge fan of Toni Braxton. And ultimately hearing her music in our house made me become a fan of Toni Braxton as well. Her sultry voice and style was definitely unmatched back in the 90’s and even till this day. When a Toni Braxton song was played on the radio, you knew instantly it was Toni.
I enjoy watching biopics. If done correctly, it gives you greater insight on the individual and their life. My favorite all-time biopics are The Jackson’s : An American Dream and Ali. Toni Braxton : Unbreak My Heart premiered January 2016 on the Lifetime network. I believe the movie really captured the essence of Toni’s life, the ups and downs of her music career, her son being diagnosed with Autism, and what she was going through, especially when she was diagnosed with Lupus.
Toni Braxton, Source: Billboard
In 2008, Toni collapsed while performing in Las Vegas. In the emergency room, doctors first thought she’d had a ‘baby heart attack.’ After further testing, she found out she had lupus. She kept it quiet for several years but the lupus started showing more. She had to cancel many shows and her fans just didn’t understand.
During a press conference in 2010, Toni Braxton told the world she suffered from lupus. Toni said that it was a sigh of relief that she was able to share her struggles. Since her diagnosis, she is managing the disease well and adopted more heart-healthy habits. In December 2012, Toni was hospitalized when a lupus flare caused blood clots, resulting in a crisis that challenged not only her health but also her career. “The doctors said performing wasn’t something I should do,” Toni reveals. Faced with forced retirement, the singer grew depressed.
Instead of retiring, Toni decided that she was going to live life. Her story reminded me of my mother who embraced her lupus diagnosis and lived life to the fullest. If my mother was alive, I know she would have developed a deeper connection with Toni beyond enjoying her voice.
Toni has an incredible support system from her family, especially her sisters. You can watch Toni living life with her sisters on their reality show “Braxton Family Values”.
