ASIDE from her successful modeling career, Karen Duffy is a writer and television personality.
On Tuesday, April 12, 2022, the former model’s book – Wise Up: Irreverent Enlightenment from a Mother Who’s Been Through It – was released.
What illness does Karen Duffy have?
In September of 1995, Karen Duffy was diagnosed with a rare form of sarcoidosis, known as neurosarcoidosis.
The disease affects both her brain and spinal cord, leaving the former model partially paralyzed.
One day after the Emmy Awards in 1995, Duffy woke up with pain comparable to “an electric eel swimming up [her] spinal column,” per People.
Her doctor found an inoperable “mostaccioli-sized” lesion crushing her nerves around the brain stem and spinal cord.
With no cure, neurosarcoidosis is a lifelong illness that can drastically decrease the overall quality of life.
However, Duffy is able to manage her pain through multiple treatments.
The 60-year-old uses steroids, chemotherapy, morphine, and pain patches to help combat the effects of the disease.
“I’ve already had the scariest thing that pretty much can happen, happen,” Duffy told People.
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“I know there is trouble ahead.”
She continued: “I don’t know what kind of trouble, but I’m not afraid because I’m grateful for my life.”
Who is Karen Duffy?
Born in May of 1961, Karen Duffy is a New York native.
After graduating from Park Ridge High School in 1979, the entertainer went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Recreational Therapy from the University of Colorado: Boulder.
She began modeling in the 1980s and also started to appear in television commercials.
During the early 1990s, Duffy worked as a video jockey on MTV, introducing the latest videos and performers.
Duffy has since worked on a number of movies and television shows, including Dumb and Dumber (1994) and Blank Check (1994).
What is sarcoidosis?
Sarcoidosis is categorized as a chronic disease of unknown cause.
The illness is characterized by enlargement of lymph nodes around the body, ultimately affecting overall welfare.
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With typical sarcoidosis, growths commonly appear across the lungs, lymph nodes, eyes, and skin.
Neurosarcoidosis generally affects the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves.
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