Creating Joyful Moments

“Having a chronic disease, I don't have anybody else in my family or my friend group that's really dealt with anything like this, and it can be very lonely,” Alex Sommerville says. Looking at her smiling face through the video screen, I’m presented with the opposite of lonely. She exudes warmth and energy that masks the long and winding journey that got her here.

She tells me she often hears from others that she can’t have psoriatic arthritis (PsA) because she’s too young. Those people can’t see her pain. They can’t see the worry.

“I was diagnosed with psoriasis in 2013 and psoriatic arthritis in 2015, so it's been a minute,” she says. “Getting diagnosed was a process, especially with psoriatic arthritis.”

After too much disappointment and pain, Sommerville did find relief. “I was able to find a doctor that was willing to put in the effort with me and really work alongside me in that journey and [I] got the diagnosis. That felt like a great milestone,” she says.

Sommerville is wise and empathetic. As soon as she mentions the happy ending to her own journey, she acknowledges the challenges others are facing. “Ultimately, I landed on a biologic injection, and that's been awesome and life-changing for me,” she says. “I know it’s not the same for everybody.”

Finding Community

When Sommerville’s not working as the director of brand development for a Chicago-based creative agency, she can be found teaching graphic design as an adjunct associate professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Design or lending her time as a member of the board of directors for the American Institute of Graphic Arts. She works within a large and intertwined network of professionals, teachers, and students, yet she carries her own unique burdens.

Four or five years ago, Sommerville had trouble connecting with others. Family and friends couldn’t understand the unique challenges she faces. The isolation of life with a chronic disease – especially one that’s visible – can engulf even the busiest and most connected of people. “It can be very lonely, so I started following different accounts on Instagram and that ended up leading me to NPF. You know, by way of the algorithm,” she says with a smile.

The community Sommerville found at National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) events in her area was refreshing, and perhaps it was a touch inspiring too. After she recognized the opportunities for community connection through NPF, Sommerville identified the need for a vibrant, inclusive event. Then she stepped up and volunteered her time to make it happen.