Dear Scientist,

My name is Jennifer Tucker, but you can call me Jenni. In 2016, between my freshman and sophomore years of college, I received news that at the time felt devastating: I was diagnosed with stage 3 Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis, or NASH. Stage 4 of this disease means your liver has gone into cirrhosis, which could increase your risk for a transplant; however, I learned the damage up until early stage 4 is reversible. My doctor predicted that I was about a year away from cirrhosis of the liver, so at age 19, my life was changed forever.

My parents and I were shocked at the news; we had never heard of this disease. When my liver specialist explained it to me, it sounded like something an older person should have, not a teenager. That’s when I learned my liver thought I was a 60-year-old alcoholic who weighs 300 pounds. I had never had a drink in my life, nor do I ever want to. I’ve been overweight my entire life, but I also knew that there were people bigger than me. So, I was confused: Why was I being diagnosed with this disease? Apparently, my genetics and lifestyle made my liver this way, and even after many years of attempted dieting, its status only worsened.

Knowing I was diagnosed early enough to reverse the damage, my parents and I decided to take better strides for our health. It was not easy by any means. I had to unlearn what I knew about food and change how I’d done things my entire life. It’s been both incredibly frustrating and challenging. But once I gained the knowledge, met the challenge, and finally saw change, it was overwhelmingly encouraging.

I felt strengthened, especially because I didn’t realize how sick I was until I started feeling better. Before my diagnosis, I had been exhausted all the time, even when just sitting at home doing nothing. I would get at least one migraine a week. I was also very pale, with absolutely no color in my cheeks. But once I took hold of my health, I had so much energy! I thought to myself: Is this how I’m supposed to feel all the time? After about a year of healthy eating and regular workouts, my family and I collectively lost about 150 pounds.

Even though this illness has presented a daily challenge, I’ve learned how to overcome my challenges—and I’m now better and healthier for it. I cannot thank my doctor enough for figuring out what was going on with my liver. And I want to thank you for all the incredible work and research you are doing to get a better understanding of NASH. It’s so important that we learn more about this illness to help people diagnosed in the future retain hope and health.

Sincerely, Jenni Tucker