Imagine living with a secret for 20 years, worrying constantly that someone would find you out and everything you’d worked so hard for during your entire career would be over, just like that.

That was the life Christine Schwab led. She worked hard to become the go-to on-camera choice whenever Today, Oprah or Regis needed an expert on beauty, fashion or lifestyle. She made sure to hide her pain until she just couldn’t do it anymore.

What was she hiding? Rheumatoid arthritis. She says after her diagnosis, all she associated “arthritis” with was old people, and that was something the fashion and style industry avoided like the plague.

She explains her fears beautifully in her book, Take Me Home From the Oscars, and reveals what she’s learned about the disease, which is an autoimmune disease that is understood so much more now than it was 20 years ago when she was diagnosed. Plus, find out how her diagnosis led her to a new passion — advocating for children suffering from this painful disease.

Click here to visit Christine’s website to learn more about her book and click here to visit the Christine’s Kids Facebook page.