At Wider Circle, we believe that healing happens when connection meets community. Sometimes, the path from pain to possibility begins with a single caring conversation – and the courage to show up for yourself.
Meet Alexandra: a Lupus survivor who transformed grief and isolation into vitality and purpose. Through community support, chair yoga, and an accountability partner who became a friend, she discovered that wellness isn’t just about managing symptoms – it’s about reclaiming joy.
Alexandra R.
From Grief to Growth: How Community Helped Alexandra Heal
After battling lupus and losing her mother, Alexandra was isolated and in pain – until Wider Circle helped her rebuild her health and purpose.
Alexandra had always been a fighter, having already endured a high-risk pregnancy, open-heart surgery, and a years-long battle with lupus. But when her mother passed away, she was overcome by a grief that her body couldn’t handle. Inflammation flared, sleep became impossible, and debilitating pain left her isolated at home. Feeling completely ignored and unsupported by her health plan, she was on the verge of walking away for good.
That changed when Kandas Thompson, a Wider Circle Community Engagement Specialist and holistic health coach, reached out. Learning about Alexandra’s inflammation, Kandas suggested herbal teas that could help and invited her to an event. For the first time in a while, Alexandra felt heard “That’s what I was looking for,” she said.
Finding Wider Circle was a turning point. In their virtual calls, she discovered a supportive community and the practical health advice she’d been missing. “I’ve learned so much” Alexandra reflects. She discovered anti-inflammatory foods for her lupus, breathing exercises, and sleep practices that finally brought rest. When facilitators shared resources like food pantries, she used them fearlessly – then helped others do the same.
But beyond the health lessons, the greatest impact came from the people. As Alexandra puts it, “I learned how to count on each other for support.” This became clear when she was afraid to drive to in-person events after an accident. Other parents immediately formed a carpool group with her, turning her barrier into connection.
The community truly opened up her life. “I’ve done so much more since I have been with Wider Circle,” she says, now an Ambassador active in yoga and in Wider Circle Walks. She found an accountability partner in another member Marquette, and the two now explore the city on weekly walks.
Alexandra’s new active lifestyle and diet changes have paid off. “My skin is glowing,” Alexandra says. “I feel more active. I sleep longer. My pain has gone away.”
Her inflammation has decreased and she’s lost weight along the way. Alexandra has dropped from a 2XL to a XL in her ambassador shirt and is aiming to be in a L soon.
Today, Alexandra is a proud Wider Circle Ambassador and community pillar. She fearlessly uses every resource and shares her full story on calls, walking others through exactly how to access support.
“It’s like family,” Alexandra says. “I love the support system, no judgment. You can have your guard down and be yourself.”
She even helped her daughter switch insurance plans so they could both be Wider Circle members together.
Alexandra didn’t just find support – she became it.
Thank you, Alexandra, for showing us the healing power of community and courage. And thank you to our sponsors for making stories like Alexandra’s possible every day. possible every day.
Stories from the Circle Sign Up
About the author: Jamie Zale
Wider Circle
