"To my fellow #invisibleillness warriors. It’s ok to be insecure about your body. Just remember to check in with yourself at least once a day and say thank you. Our bodies have endured unfathomable feats that our minds barely have time to comprehend what has actually happened. With inflammation, excess water gain, and medications, my skin has a hard time bouncing back. I saw this picture and HATED it but quickly readjusted my attitude and decided to celebrate it. Love yourself and be patient. We are all stronger than we think we are," Sarah wrote.
The "inflammation, excess water gain and medications" that Sarah is talking about refers to her constant struggle with kidney dysplasia.
Kidney dysplasia is a condition where a fetus' kidney isn't developed properly. Sarah has undergone two separate kidney transplants and multiple (sixteen to be exact) surgeries to fight the disease, which has left her with scars and bloating on her stomach.
After posting the empowering photo, celebrities such as Brittany Snow, Angela Kinsey, Lily Collins, and Tess Holliday shared messages of support for Sarah.
It's not the first time Sarah has let her scars shine. In September, she posted a gallery of photos in a gorgeous red bikini, proudly showing off her scars from previous surgeries.
Sarah's confidence and newfound happiness is a stark difference from her past mentality regarding her health. The actress once admitted to contemplating suicide when one of her kidney transplants failed, meaning she had to get it removed in May 2017 quickly needing another.
Thankfully, her brother turned out to be a match and offered his own kidney for her second transplant.
Speaking to Self magazine in December 2018, she opened up about how difficult it was for her.
"I was very depressed. When a family member gives you a second chance at life, and it fails, it almost feels like it’s your fault. It’s not. But it does," Sarah said. "For a long time, I was contemplating suicide, because I didn’t want to fail my little brother like I failed my dad."
Sarah started dating her fiancé Wells Adams a few days before the second transplant, admitting that he was a major source of support during the entire process.
"He’s seen me at my worst," she shared. "He was there through all of that. I think that’s why I feel the most beautiful in his eyes because he still finds me beautiful after seeing all that."
