Nick Cannon on Living with Lupus: "Take it One Day at a Time."

When Nick Cannon, actor, radio and television personality, is asked to give one piece of advice to someone who is fighting lupus, his answer is simple:  “Take it one day at a time.”

Like other patients, he experienced both good days and bad. On a day that's harder than most, Cannon said that he typically takes a step back, re-evaluates, resets, and re-thinks. Only then does he move forward to his next goal. 

Nick Cannon was not diagnosed with lupus until 2012. After experiencing extreme fatigue and unusual swelling while on vacation, he noticed his symptoms worsened to kidney pain and difficulty breathing. He was rushed to the hospital and admitted for a series of tests. The result? Life-changing lupus nephritis.

Lupus nephritis is a kidney disease that is caused by Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). Because lupus is an autoimmune disease, it causes the body to attack its own tissues and organs. Lupus nephritis affects the kidneys. Even with treatment, the kidneys have a high risk of failing, and the patient will either need dialysis or a kidney transplant.

Now, Nick Cannon's mission is to educate others about lupus nephritis

Cannon is a firm believer in educating people about lupus and its symptoms. This was not always the case. Not too long after his diagnosis, Cannon went back to juggling a busy schedule with no adjustments to lifestyle. Cannon noticed that he did not have the same stamina and realized that he needed to push harder to do everything he used to do before being diagnosed with lupus.  He was hospitalized for a blood clot in his lungs and his weakened kidneys could have led to a much more fatal consequence if left untreated.

Photo source: Actor Nick Cannon by Sandy Choi