Fabienne Heymans
I arrived in NYC as a young model and actress at the age of 21. I soon began experiencing adrenal exhaustion, food allergies, head fogginess, and terrible indigestion. For the next 28 years, I tried to overcome these symptoms through education. I studied alternative medicine, including Chinese medicine, holistic nutrition, therapeutic massage, acupuncture, and energy work. My explorations eventually led to a teaching position at the Barbara Brennan School of Healing, and I taught for 9 years while also working as an Integrative Energy Healer at my own private practice in NYC. Through it all, my symptoms persisted and even became worse. Yet my lab tests were always normal! Then in 2012, I had surgery on my para-thyroid and almost died that very day. My body was simply exhausted. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s by accident that same week –and I discovered that I had been misdiagnosed for most of my life! I like to say that day in surgery was the worst and best day of my life! Miraculously, I recovered, and slowly found my way to remission. Since then, I have dedicated my life to empowering others who struggle with Hashimoto’s and to sharing what I learned about living a productive and active life with the disorder.
Together with Pearl Thomas, I co-founded Hashimoto’s Awareness in 2014, known today as HeyHashi — a non-profit organization providing a hub of daily connections, monthly webinars and yearly summits for people with Hashimoto’s around the world who are seeking wellness in an era of epidemic autoimmunity.