(RxWiki News) Venus Williams had to withdraw from her second-round match this Wednesday due to symptoms stemming from Sjogren's syndrome, which is a chronic, incurable but often manageable disease.
Oracene Price, mother Venus Williams, promised in an interview with the New York Post, "Sjogren's syndrome is not going to stop her", and shares her confidence in her daughter by proclaiming, "I know she'll be back."
Price describes the autoimmune disease as a mere setback. "At least we got it diagnosed. We once thought it was asthma. We thought it was a lot of stuff."
"Overcoming Sjogren's syndrome is possible."
"She was zapped of energy [Wednesday]," reports Price, who also serves as Venus and Serena's coach. Venus told Price she wasn't able to lift her arm. Before her Sjogren's syndrome diagnosis, Venus thought this was a fitness issue. Not any longer.
Her disease made her unable to grip the racquet adequately. Price also reports the same thing happened with her grip at Wimbledon this year.
Price also says that Venus and her family are attacking this disease from many different angles, including diet modification.
In an interview Thursday with ABC's "Good Morning America, Venus sounded relieved to finally feel bad enough to motivate her to make the necessary adjustments to feel better. That fighting spirit she has always displayed on the court will serve her well as she gets "down and dirty" to fight the disease and launch a comeback.
Price predicts Venus will make her return next year. That way, she can have to time to feel better and resume her training.
