Nancy Mize Gonzalez did not set out to build a career around lupus. She set out to follow her passion. When lupus intervened, that passion did not disappear.
It evolved into something powerful: a commitment to medicine, research, and creating a better future for people living with this disease.
“Eventually, you get tired of hearing, ‘We don’t know,’” she said. “So, I decided to go back to school, to become a doctor and be able to give other patients answers.”
From Music to Medicine
Before lupus entered her life, Nancy dreamed of becoming a concert pianist. Music shaped her identity from an early age, and she pursued it fully, earning a degree in music and working professionally as a pianist, choral musician, and soprano soloist. That path changed when lupus began affecting her hands, making even simple movements painful.
“I thought, ‘This is my life now,’” she described of those early years – unsure if the swelling would ever get under control.
But, diagnosed at 18 after more than two years of severe symptoms, she quickly learned to advocate for her health. She found treatments that helped stabilize her disease and – soon enough – another idea took root.
Nancy wanted to understand the science behind lupus and help close the gaps she had experienced in her own treatment. After completing post-graduate coursework and working in biomedical research, Nancy entered the MD/PhD program at Texas A&M College of Medicine. While in school, she didn’t think she would ever pursue a path into surgery – until one day in the lab.
“I remember this one day when we were working on the brain,” she said. “I got to open the skull cavity, and I got to look at the brain and I just thought, this is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
And, even though she was in the midst of a flare, the pain faded into the background. And now, Nancy will be a neurosurgery resident in Houston – celebrating her medical “Match Day” in the hospital after a recent flare – and looking forward to learning more about how lupus impacts the brain in her continued research.
“I remember at that initial moment in the lab that I didn’t feel any pain because I was so energized and so engaged,” she explained. “There’s this analgesic effect from doing what you love.”
Finding Ways to Push Forward
Living with lupus has never been simple for Nancy. Over the years, she has navigated hospitalizations, medication changes, and complications that have affected multiple organ systems. Pregnancy brought both joy and fear, marked by lupus-related complications, extended hospital stays, and a NICU stay for her now 4-year-old son, Luca.
Still, she continues forward with clarity and honesty about what it takes.
“Sometimes you might have to take time off and get better,” she said. “But you will get better, and you will be able to do those things again.”
That determination extends beyond her medical pursuits. Nancy is deeply involved with the Lupus Research Alliance, serving as an executive member of the Young Leaders Board, and involved with the organization’s Scientific Advisory Board.
“Everyone involved is so passionate, genuine, and dedicated to solving the problem of lupus,” she reflects.
Reflecting on the Lupus Research Alliance’s theme for Lupus Awareness Month – “Hope in Action: The Future of Lupus” – hope is both personal and collective for Nancy.
“It’s companionship – knowing that you’re not alone and that there are so many people working so hard to make it easier and better,” Nancy said.
Steadfast in pursuit of her passions and getting us closer to a cure, Nancy is clear: “Lupus takes many things. But, lupus will not get the last word.”
Learn more about the Lupus Research Alliance’s Young Leaders Board or how you can get involved.
Tags: Community Spotlight, Nancy Mize Gonzalez, Young Leaders Board