Why I’m reclaiming my story, and why accurate storytelling matters

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A few days ago, I opened my phone and saw my face on the front page of the Irvine Herald.
It should’ve been a moment of pride — I’ve worked so hard to build my platform, grow my blog, and speak openly about what I survived.
But when I saw the headline, my heart sank.
Because they didn’t tell the truth.
They said I had a brain tumour.
But I didn’t.

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The truth? I had acute cerebellitis.

It’s a rare and dangerous condition one that left me fighting for my life.
For weeks, doctors didn’t know what was wrong. They talked about lumbar punctures. I had hallucinations. My brain was swelling so severely it almost cut off oxygen.
One night, I couldn’t breathe. My heart rate spiked. I genuinely thought I was going to die.
The survival rate was unclear. My mum was told 20%. I didn’t know if I’d come out the other side.
It wasn’t a tumour.
But it was terrifying.

And it was enough.

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Why this matters

I’ve spent the last six months showing up online, writing openly, vulnerably, and honestly.
I’ve been featured in five media outlets.
I’ve had over 1,000 blog views this month alone.
I’ve grown my brand Makia from a blog into a platform about healing, mindset, and truth.
But that headline?
That headline reminded me why telling your own story matters more than ever.
Because if you don’t, someone else might and they might get it wrong.

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To the media: I’m not a clickbait story. I’m a person.

I’m grateful that my story is being shared.
I want to reach people to show them what’s possible after trauma.
But this is a reminder that accuracy matters.
Words matter.
My story doesn’t need to be exaggerated to be powerful. It already is.

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This is why I built Makia

To give myself and others a space where truth comes first.
Where no one has to twist the facts just to be seen.
Where healing is allowed to be messy, painful, beautiful, and real.

So if you’re reading this because you saw a headline and got curious welcome.
This is what really happened.
This is who I really am.
And this is just the beginning.

Remember, it all starts with self love

-M