The story of Kamiron
My name is Kamiron, and I live with a rare mitochondrial disease. In short, my condition causes the progressive weakening of muscles and organs, and as of now, there is no cure or treatment available.
But I am not disease, so let me tell you about me. I am many things: a dedicated wildlife rehabilitator, a paraclimber, a musician, a peer mentor, a gym rat, a writer, and a speaker. I am a brother, a lover, a friend, a cousin, and a stranger.
Living with a rare disease means facing challenges I couldn’t have imagined if you told them to me when I was a kid. Over time, I’ve lost significant function in organs like my colon, bladder, stomach, and most recently, my lungs. I live independently, and thanks to my incredible friends and chosen family, I am never truly alone. I love living, and I love loving.
If you had told me four years ago what my life and body would look like today, I wouldn’t have believed that there would be a world I’d mesh into. I’ve met amazing people, visited incredible places, and done things I relive in my dreams.
Lately, my daily place of habit is the gym, and it may sound counterintuitive for someone with a condition that weakens muscles, but it’s my sanctuary. On a bigger scale, it’s also an opportunity to challenge misconceptions about disability and illness in the public eye. Media has skewed perceptions of what people like me and you can and cannot do. I love to see the look on the face of someone staring at me, when I move weights heavier than they are, or hear a surprised “Really?” when they find out half of their favorite sports I’ve done too. I don’t seek to inspire, I seek to change how people see disabilities, encourage them to learn, encourage them to think bigger than they’ve been taught to.
To my friends and anyone living with uncertainty about their abilities: You’ll never know what you’re capable of until you try. This life is yours—your one and only. What will you do with it tomorrow?