Lauren Wasser, a model from California, lost her right leg in 2012 after developing menstrual toxic shock syndrome (mTSS) from a tampon. Mistaking her symptoms for the flu, she was hospitalized and fell into a coma. When she woke, doctors had amputated her leg. She was only 24.
Despite using tampons as directed, the infection nearly killed her—causing organ failure and two heart attacks. Years later, her other leg was also amputated. Lauren filed a legal case against the tampon brand and now speaks out to raise awareness about the risks of mTSS.
Her darkest days almost ended in suicide, but the thought of her younger brother kept her going. Learning that other women had died from mTSS lit a fire in her. She became a voice for change, determined no woman should suffer as she did.
Now, Lauren embraces life fully. She runs, models, and wears gold prosthetic legs with pride. “There’s nothing I can’t do,” she says. Her message is one of resilience: “Own who you are” and inspire others by living authentically.
She credits her faith and urges people to let go of constant pressure to appear happy. In a world chasing likes, she reminds us—we’re already enough.