By: Maria Williams
Medical conditions can push even the most optimistic person to the lowest point of their life. Whether you’re experiencing excruciating pain or not, spending significant time in hospitals without a clear definition of ‘what is wrong with you’ can deeply scar a person. For Shant Cimenian, a businessman and author living with a rare genetic disease Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF), his life was characterized by the sadness of medical treatments.
FMF is deemed an ‘invisible illness’ because it lacks physical manifestations or indicators of sickness. Doctors struggle to identify and diagnose this condition despite the high levels of pain it causes for patients. Shant’s story of battling the condition and advocating for adequate treatment and social accommodations is a testament that no pain is powerful enough to stop a determined person from chasing greatness.
Growing up in a very supportive family, Shant was able to sustain his positive outlook in life as he wrote his life story in his now-released memoir My Life, My Victory. The book is Shant’s way of giving a voice to the people who are silently battling this invisible illness. People who are born with FMF have stated that the pain is equivalent to someone in labor, and the episodes could last for weeks. Symptoms related to FMF are usually noted after the patient reaches two years old and becomes more verbal.
However, in Shant’s case, his symptoms started when he was only nine months old. After countless medical tests were conducted on Shant, the doctors concluded that he has a higher pain spectrum of FMF. This rare genetic disease is an incurable autosomal recessive disease that affects people mainly with Jewish, Armenian, Arab, Turkish, North African, Greek, or Italian ancestry. Shant came from an Armenian family and his grandfather, aunt, and brother also suffered from the same rare disease which made him more susceptible.
Slight stress can trigger the symptoms of FMF and this affected Shant’s education as he would miss weeks of classes during each episode. According to Shant, he received hurtful comments from other people as they would remind him that his rare disease prevents him from living a fulfilling life. Shant’s strong faith in God gave him the courage to power through in his constant battle with the pain. He was able to remain optimistic, achieve his goals, and overcome the limitations FMF caused in his life.
FMF symptoms would occur every week when Shant was younger but as he grew older, he learned to manage his stress levels. Shant’s determination did not wither as he finished and obtained a certificate from American Real Estate Academy, and landed an internship job at a small brokerage company in the Watertown area in 2020. His FMF symptoms became less frequent as he eased into the position slowly, which greatly helped him adjust to his new work environment and grow professionally. Shant later became a manager in the business development department of a new real estate company in his area.
Shant’s career in real estate enabled him to broaden his horizons in the business world. Seeing the opportunity in rental properties, he founded a prominent vacation home agency 4 Season Vacation LLC. He started the business when he purchased a house in New Hampshire and began renting it to tenants.
Shant is now looking into buying more properties in the next few years to expand his business while continuing his position as a business development manager at a real estate company. Shant’s published memoir My Life, My Victory also hit number one in the chronic pain categories, adding to his debut as a successful published author.
Shant’s unique success story gained the local newspaper’s attention. His tale of faith and courage was featured along with his acceptance at Georgetown University and Harvard University where Shant will soon obtain a medical certificate. Although Shant still suffers from chronic pain, he is determined that his positive outlook in life, his family’s support, and faith in God will get him through anything.
“My faith in God and my family’s support is the biggest factor in my success today. I know God has a plan for me, all the pain I endured all these years was His way of showing me how strong I can be if I remain faithful to Him. All things are possible with God and because of Him, I am more than just FMF,” Shant says.
Published by: Holy Minoza
