April showers bring May flowers, but more immediately, April brings Sjögren's Awareness Month. The Sjögren's Syndrome Foundation (SSF) will launch its This is Sjögren's! April campaign to spotlight what many call an invisible disease, one where the patient may experience severe discomfort but people don't notice physical symptoms. 

Every day throughout the month of April, SSF will post a different phrase on social media that reflects what it's like to live with the disease. By the end of the month, 30 phrases will show the complexity and seriousness of the disease, SSF stated.

As one patient said, "I live in constant uncertainty when planning my day because I don't know if or when fatigue will hit me. This is Sjögren's."

Other symptoms of this systemic autoimmune disease include extensive dryness (as evident in dry mouth), chronic pain, major organ involvement, neuropathies, and lymphomas. The whole body can be affected. 

According to SSF, as many as 4 million Americans are living with Sjögren's, and 9 out of 10 patients are women with an average age of onset in the late 40s. However, all age groups, including children, can be affected. 

SSF has put out a call for other patients to share a phrase that represents their life with Sjögren's. Read more and leave a comment by clicking here.