Known as the blind cook, Christine Ha, renowned Texas chef and winner of the third season of MasterChef, was in Dallas this weekend to help spread awareness about neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD).
NMOSD is a rare and debilitating autoimmune disease caused by inflammation in the central nervous system that attacks the optic nerve, brain stem, and spinal cord.
If not treated, NMOSD can cause permanent disabilities such as paralysis and blindness.
NMOSD is often mistaken for multiple sclerosis (MS) due to the similarities in how both diseases attack the human body.
Ha spoke about her own experience with NMOSD to The Dallas Express, describing the challenges she faced as her vision deteriorated and how she learned to adapt to her new reality. She also emphasized the importance of early diagnosis and treatment for NMOSD, which can help prevent further damage to the nervous system.
As a little girl, Ha grew up eating her mother’s cooking. When she was 14, her mother passed away from cancer, and Ha thought she would never taste her mother’s food again.
While in college, Ha missed her mother’s cooking and began recreating her mother’s home-cooked Vietnamese dishes.
She began losing her eyesight in her 20s and sought to learn why.
Doctors initially misdiagnosed Ha with MS after running multiple tests. It wasn’t until nearly four years later that she was diagnosed with NMOSD.
“I was diagnosed quite a while ago in my 20s, and I’m 43 now, so it’s been half of my life I’ve been living with this disease,” said Ha speaking to The Dallas Express.
“I do believe that had I been diagnosed correctly with NMOSD sooner rather than my initial misdiagnosis of MS, I believe I could have gotten on the correct treatment plan, and that could have helped to prevent my vision loss.”
Ha has been inspiring people with her cooking and her story for years. However, Ha’s journey has not been without its hurdles.
“It was a long road; it wasn’t easy. People always wonder, ‘How are you so positive or optimistic?’ and I always want to be realistic and honest and say that it wasn’t always like this. I’ve had a lot of time and space pass between now and when I was first diagnosed,” said Ha.
“I felt very lost and frustrated, and I felt like I expected all of the doctors and all the drugs to be able to fix me, but they couldn’t. So, at times, I felt hopeless, and I think what kind of changed it was, it wasn’t one particular moment, but it was a gradual passing of time and coming to the realization that no matter what happens to me, the world keeps on rotating,” Ha explained.
Ha told The Dallas Express that while it hasn’t been easy living with NMOSD, meeting other people with the disease has helped her.
“Meeting other patients that live with NMOSD, I think, was really empowering because I felt like I finally found a tribe where people understood what I was going through and what it felt like and not only the physical aspects of the disease but also the mental and emotional toll it can take on you.
“And then finding that community, I think, made me feel less alone, and so that’s why I am a voice for this campaign now and just talking about raising awareness of NMOSD because I think it is important and encouraging for other people living with this disease to find connections with other people and a good healthcare team and to be proactive in their own treatment plan,” said Ha.
Despite having NMOSD, Ha continued to pursue her passion for cooking and became a successful chef and writer, winning the third season of MasterChef in 2012.
Now, Ha is using her platform to raise awareness about NMOSD and teaming up with fellow NMOSD patient Sumaira Ahmed, founder of the Sumaira Foundation, to help others living with the condition.
On April 1, Ha spoke at The Sumaira Foundation event in Dallas to help spread awareness and connect others living with NMOSD.
Ha’s appearance in Dallas to help connect others living with NMOSD is a part of her ongoing advocacy work.
Through her cooking, writing, and advocacy, Ha inspires people to overcome obstacles and positively impact the world. Her message of hope and perseverance is one that resonates with people of all ages and backgrounds.
“Maybe life isn’t fair, and my struggles are different from other people’s struggles, but I have to figure out a way to still be productive, to live my life to my truest potential in spite of the challenges I have had, whether it be the diagnosis or the vision loss,” said Ha.
Ha is very passionate about getting the right diagnosis and help for NMOSD and raises awareness about the disease with her NMOSD Won’t Stop Me campaign, which can be here.
