[Share Your Story] Voices of Osteoporosis: Stories of Hope and Inspiration

The Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation has developed Voices of Osteoporosis: Stories of Hope and Inspiration as a support initiative to give a voice to those who want to share their story with others. Sharing your story can be an educational source of comfort for those who may be experiencing challenges associated with their own journey.

If you have experienced osteoporosis as a patient or caregiver, we invite you to share your story. If you’re interested in submitting a guest post for the Bone Talk blog, please email Carina May at cmay(@)bonehealthandosteoporosis.org.

Read some of the stories that others have shared: 

It’s Working: My Three-Fold Approach to Osteoporosis
I’m Victoria, 70 years old and a lucky, lucky person. I live on California’s Central Coast, one of the most salubrious places on the planet. Mild weather enables me to enjoy vigorous 1-2 hour walks and 2 mile swims in outdoor pools. Farmers’ markets are plentiful, and local wines are award winning. So here I am, slim, a disciplined exercise-person, with an impeccable healthy diet. I am a registered dietitian doing everything we’re told is good to help prevent osteoporosis. Then lo-and-behold, I was diagnosed with osteoporosis, not just osteoporosis, but severe osteoporosis with extreme risk for a fracture by sneezing or bending over to put on my shoes. What? Seriously? How can that be? Read More

When the Pro Becomes the Patient: The Accidental Advocate
I was only 28 when diagnosed with osteoporosis. I was a Pilates instructor at the time, and a teacher of teachers, training future instructors and leading a curriculum on special conditions including osteoporosis. So, my shock at the news was seismic. Read More

My Bone Health Journey
I chose orange for the cast because Halloween was just around the corner. I was 51 years old and working in a school-aged childcare program. That fateful morning, we were playing a spirited game of kickball, and I had joined the losing team to help them in the outfield. An athletic 4th grader stepped up to the plate, the ball was pitched, and he gave it a vigorous kick. The ball went soaring just over my head – here was my chance to be the kickball hero! I put my hands up in the air to catch the ball when Thwack! Read More

It's never too late - or too early - to focus on bone health
When I first learned I had osteoporosis, I hadn’t had any symptoms. My doctor recommended I have a DEXA scan, and the test results showed my femoral neck score was in the osteoporosis range. After the diagnosis, I was shocked. I was also embarrassed that, as a Pilates and yoga teacher, I clearly hadn’t been loading my bones or getting the nutrients I needed. I had additional tests done to determine if there was a secondary cause, but there wasn’t. Read More

A Road to Helping Others: My Journey Through Osteoporosis
My first thought when I was diagnosed with osteopenia was, “This must be a mistake. I don’t feel any different than the day before. No apparent signs or symptoms. How could this be?” I felt that my doctor was just wrong. After all, as far as I knew, my mother had neither osteoporosis nor osteopenia. Read More

My Bone Health Turning Point
One winter afternoon, when I was 16 or so, my mom and I took a walk around our block. In the middle of an argument, we stepped off the curb, and I said something mean. Being a teenager, I was good at that. My mom whirled around and, as she did, she slipped, fell on the ice, and broke her arm. Read More