My Only U

14 November 2008

i learned from an online lupus forum that My Only U (a movie by Star Cinema) is actually a movie about a young woman with lupus. it stars Toni Gonzaga & Vhong Navarro.

the movie is a drama comedy love story where the woman (Toni), is expected to die at age 25. Toni was diagnosed with the disease Lupus by her doctor. Toni wears a wig in the movie which might be to portrayed hair loss, one of the many symptoms of the disease.

a friend also told me that the trailer shows a clip where Toni is prevented from going out of the house, "dahil may lupus ka"(because you have lupus).

i heard that there is also a mention about Toni dying at a young age because there is "a curse" in the family.

i have not seen the movie (and i'm not even sure if i want to see it, but i have seen the short trailer), but i just hope this movie helps the lupus advocacy, and not bring more confusion about the disease.

being a lupus patient, i am slighted with the insinuations in the movie (or from the trailer). i just hope that the movie makes it crystal clear that:

1. lupus is not a curse. we are not cursed.

2. not all lupus patients are dying. i can personally attest that you will still see me within the next few years. i hate it when people look at me as if i'm dying.

3. lupus is not contagious. i overheard an old lady from the province... "kailangan i-cremate yung pinsan ko, kasi namatay sya sa lupus, baka makahawa kasi" (her remains [her cousin's] has to be cremated because she has lupus, and might be contagious).

4. lupus patients can still live a normal life. we can still enjoy life (but of course, with less stress and sun exposure).

for more information about lupus, you can visit the following sites:
http://www.luisaproject.org
http://www.lupus.org
http://lupus.webmd.com/default.htm