“Hello beautiful people, my name is Joey Torre. I’m a proud advocate for @hsdisease. I share my stories and experiences as a person living with Hidradenitis Suppurativa on social media. I’ve been living with Hidradenitis Suppurativa (H.S.) for over 15 years. And to say the least, I’ve learned so much about this debilitating chronic illness. Before receiving my diagnosis back in 2008, I was visiting clinic after clinic where the doctors would tell me that I was suffering from reoccurring boils and that there isn’t anything I could do that would stop the boils from reoccurring. Moreover, after living life like this for almost two years, I decided to make an appointment with a dermatologist. Hence, I suspected it was so much more than just reoccurring boils. On the day of my appointment, the dermatologist enter the room, so I told him my concerns about my boils. The doctor asked me if he could see my boils, after his examination, he said “You have a Hidradenitis Suppurativa.” I was like, “Ahh, what did you just say?” The doctor explain more about what HS was and all of the symptoms associated with this chronic illness. This was a bittersweet experience for me because now I have a better answer other than “they’re just boils.” Moving forward, my HS journey to recovery has been filled with ups and downs. To say the least, some days are better than others, and I refuse to give up! Lastly, raising awareness for HS is my purpose in life. I will not stop fighting for those who can’t fight, and I’ll continue to be a voice for the voiceless.”
