Getting to Know Thomas Dvorak

Can you please tell us a bit about yourself? What are your passions, hobbies, job?

I'm a Boy Scout, and I often go camping. I also enjoy swimming whenever I can. I used to work in a kitchen at a retirement home.

What type of psoriasis do you have, and how long have you experienced the disease?

I have plaque psoriasis. It's been almost 11 years since I was officially diagnosed.

Do you have PsA or other related diseases (comorbidities)?

I do have psoriatic arthritis as well.

How would you describe your unique experience of having psoriasis?

I had a couple of years when I first showed symptoms where I didn't feel completely comfortable in my own skin. After learning more about it, though, I become more confident.

How does psoriasis impact your life day-to-day?

My psoriasis doesn't affect my life very much anymore. I started in a clinical trial for a biologic in the spring of 2019. Now, my PsA is the only thing I have to worry about.

What areas of your life are most impacted by psoriasis?

I quit most of the sports I played when I first got psoriasis, since the mixture of the sweat and the PsA limited what I was comfortable doing.

Does psoriasis impact your relationships?

I have known most of my friends longer than I've had psoriasis, and I have explained what psoriasis is to the friends I've met along the way.

What do you do to treat and manage your psoriasis?

I haven't really been doing anything additional since I started on the biologic in 2019.

What do you know about psoriasis now that you wish you had known when you were first diagnosed? 

There are many more ways to treat and reduce the symptoms of psoriasis now than there were when I was first diagnosed.

What do you want others to know about living with psoriasis?

Don't let your psoriasis weigh you down or stop you from doing what you want to do. Power through and keep fighting to find a cure.

 Answers are lightly edited for clarity and style.