News & Current Events
Model Loses Both Legs After Toxic Shock Syndrome From Everyday Tampon Use
She believed it to be the flu. Lauren Wasser is fighting to protect millions of women after losing her legs a few days later.
Lauren Wasser’s life took a startling, irrevocable turn when she was just 24 years old, healthy, and rapidly advancing in the modeling industry.
What started out as a typical day in 2012 ended up in a hospital room, where her future was irrevocably changed and her body was struggling to survive. The reason? A tampon is a product that millions of women rely on each month.
It began quietly, with fever, exhaustion, and flu-like symptoms. Nothing that would cause alarm right away. However, Lauren’s condition deteriorated in a matter of hours. Her body temperature reached an incredible 107°F (42°C). Organs started to shut down.
She had two heart attacks. It was almost too late when the doctors finally made the connection. Menstrual toxic shock syndrome (mTSS), a rare but fatal reaction brought on by toxins released by bacteria and exacerbated by a super-absorbent tampon, was the diagnosis.
Lauren entered a coma. A piece of her was gone when she woke up. Her right leg was amputated below the knee by surgeons in order to save her life.
“I followed the rules,” she later said. “I did what we’re all taught to do.” But the unspoken danger lurking in a basic hygiene product had robbed her of more than just a limb—it threatened to steal her future.
Lauren had to have her left leg amputated a second time seven years later due to complications from the infection.
The emotional toll nearly broke her. “There were moments I wanted to give up,” she confessed. “But then I thought of my little brother. I couldn’t let him find me like that.”
Her pivotal moment came during that epiphany.
Lauren stepped into the spotlight rather than letting it fade. She started a public campaign against a system that kept millions of people in the dark as well as the product that transformed her life. She filed a lawsuit against the tampon manufacturer and started calling for safer period care options, education, and transparency.
“The vagina is one of the most absorbent parts of the body. We have a right to know what we’re putting in it,” she said.
Lauren redefined her life rather than merely rebuilding it. She returned to modeling, starred in high-profile campaigns, and demonstrated that she is unconstrained by any limitations by sporting a fierce attitude and custom gold prosthetic legs.
She hikes, runs five miles a day, plays basketball, and models lingerie—on her terms. “Why not shine?” she said of her golden legs. “No pedicures required.”
Despite the changes to her body, her goal of protecting others remained constant.
The reform of women’s health has benefited greatly from Lauren’s advocacy. She tells her story all over the world, advocating for improved period product labeling and encouraging women to follow their gut feelings and seek safer alternatives.
“I should still have my legs,” she says without bitterness, only truth. “No one should have to lose their body to manage a period.”
Her message is audacious, unambiguous, and desperately needed: You are sufficient. Take responsibility for your body. Challenge the standard. And don’t ever allow anyone to minimize you because you shared your story.
Lauren Wasser transformed her suffering into strength and her voice into a movement. She isn’t merely getting by. She is in the lead. She is also reminding us that the battle for women’s health is far from over.
Not until all women are safe, empowered, and informed.
Now Trending:
- Camp Counselor Breaks Down After Reuniting Last Survivors With Parents
- Heartbreaking Tragedy: Dog Chapman’s Family Mourns After 13‑Year‑Old Killed In Accidental Shooting
- “You Will Never Be Forgotten”: Two North Texas Best Friends Die Together In Flood
Please SHARE this article with Family and Friends and let us know what you think in comments!
