Monica Seles reveals battle with autoimmune disease.
London, Aug 13 (EFE).
Nine-time Grand Slam champion Monica Seles has revealed she has been living with myasthenia gravis, a rare neuromuscular disease that causes muscle weakness, for the past three years.
At 51, the Yugoslav-born American said she chose to speak publicly just days before the US Open to raise awareness of the incurable condition.
“I started experiencing these symptoms of extreme leg weakness, arm weakness, double vision. So I realized, ‘This is very unusual.’ I would be playing with some kids or family members, and I would miss a ball. I was like, ‘Yeah, I see two balls.’ These are obviously symptoms that you can’t ignore,” Seles said.
She said diagnosis “was like a relief” that came with a challenge as well.
“It took me quite some time to really absorb it, speak openly about it, because it’s a difficult one. It affects my day-to-day life quite a lot. Even coming here today, in the old days, traveling would be a no-brainer. Now I had to get packing tips. I had to learn a new way to live with MG.”
In an interview with “Good Morning America” on ABC News,the tennis legend said she was diagnosed three years ago with myasthenia gravis. The rare muscular condition affects around 120,000 people in America. ‘Myasthenia gravis’ has no cure.
“When I got diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, I had no clue what it was. I had a hard time pronouncing it to be honest with you,” she said.
Seles is now a spokesperson for the pharmaceutical immunology and antibody innovation company Argenx, the maker of one of her medications She won eight Grand Slam titles between the ages of 16 and 19 before a 1993 on-court stabbing in Hamburg sidelined her for two years.
She claimed only one more major after her return, retiring in 2003 with 53 titles and 178 weeks as world No. 1. EFE
