LAUREN WASSER

Model, face of Cotton On Body, activist and amputee toxic shock syndrome survivor who’s raising awareness about TSS prevention

MY INSPIRATIONS ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN WHEELCHAIRS.

I was in a wheelchair for eight months, and it takes such a strong human being to be able to get up every single day – doing the littlest thing is such a task. Honestly, I think they’re superheroes.

WE ALL GO THROUGH THINGS, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY IT’S HOW YOU DEAL WITH IT.

I love being silly and enjoying this life. I’m always in pain. My left foot is severely damaged from TSS and I’m probably going to have to amputate my left leg – I could be super-depressed and upset and devastated about it, but I have a second chance. I’m here... Your body is just your body. If I lose my legs, I mean, it’s horrible and it sucks but thank God I’m in a world where technology is so advanced that I can run again. I can be the best mum eventually. I can [climb] mountains, I can go swimming. I can do anything and everything.

WHEN I INITIALLY SHARED MY STORY, SOME PEOPLE ON SOCIAL MEDIA WERE NOT EDUCATED ON WHAT TSS ACTUALLY WAS.

I couldn’t blame those people because it wasn’t really talked about. The misconception is if you leave your tampon in too long, you will develop TSS, but it’s not necessarily the case. It can be the toxins in the tampon getting into your bloodstream and starting to shut down your system. Now, thank God for social media because this is a serious issue and people are slowly getting it.

There are just MY FAVOURITE HASHTAG IS #AMPUTEE.

so many of us.

With TECHNOLOGY HAS HELPED WOMEN TO ADVANCE. social media, we have Youtube, we have Instagram, we have Snapchat; they’re all ways to connect with one another and it has given women a platform that we’ve never had before.

MY PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENT IS JUST BEING ALIVE. I’m grateful I’m even here, so I’m living a dream.

YOU ONLY GET ONE SHOT AT THIS LIFE, SO MAKE THE MOST OF IT.

I think that’s the best advice I can give anyone, because this is my second chance and [I’m] just freaking lucky to be here.