365 days ago I was diagnosed with alopecia. Now, from head to toe, I am completely bald and that is okay because I am brave.

You could ask a thousand people who suffer from Alopecia what it is like living with it and I can guarantee each and every one of them will give you a different answer.  My answer, is heartbreaking.

My alopecia is something me and my family handled head-on with no warning or knowledge and without them, I do not think I would have made it this far in my journey.  Everything I do and the way I am able to hold myself, I owe to the support my family gave me.

Alopecia is my disease, but it is my family’s journey.

When I cry, my family cries because we are battling this together.

Lots of people who speak to me tell me how brave I am, but I believe my family are 10x braver than I will ever be.  This isn’t their journey nor did it have to be, but they made it theirs.  My parents have researched for hours looking for some, if any, answers and have driven me near and far trying to find any glimpse of hope.  My brother dedicated hours of his time to educating himself on Alopecia.  He chose to do Alopecia as his topic for a school assignment so he was able to educate his classmates who, like me, had no idea what it was.  My sister was able to overcome her fear of change and the unknown even though she wasn’t with me every day to watch the disease slowly strip me of all of my hair, and of course, her partner, for sitting with her every day as she cried. Without you all I wouldn’t be able to be told how brave I was.  My support group, and my family, made me brave.

Alopecia has changed me and my family as people. We aren’t who we were a year ago pre-alopecia.  We are stronger than ever and we are brave.  Alopecia made me brave and I will never forget, with acceptance comes happiness.

In July of 2016 I showed the world my nude head for the first time ever at a massive Festival in NSW.  It was at that point, 6 months into my journey that I finally felt brave.  I felt free.  I felt in control.  I may not be brave enough to show the world my nude head every day, but I am braver than I was 365 days ago.

If I were lucky enough to win the $2000 I would put it towards my membership at my new F45 gym. Midway through my first year with Alopecia I joined F45 and decided to focus on myself and my health that I could control. F45 is, to date, the only place I currently go where not a single person knew me with hair and it has boosted my confidence by a mile knowing I was able to do something for myself, with or without hair.

This article was submitted as part of our #HealthyAlopecia Blog Competition which is running throughout 2018. One winner every month will be drawn to receive $2000 towards improving your journey with alopecia or creating a healthier you. Kelsey was randomly selected as our winner for January.  Find out how you can get involved and win $2000 here.