Sarah Hyland thinks her chronic illness "happened for a reason".
The ‘Modern Family’ star was born with kidney dysplasia – a condition in which the kidneys don’t fully develop in the womb – and has said that despite her ongoing struggle with the condition, she thinks it makes her "stronger".
She said: "Everything happens for a reason. [Struggles are] only going to make you a stronger and more efficient person."
And although her outlook it positive, Sarah notes that she wasn’t always so upbeat about her illness.
In 2012, Sarah underwent her first kidney transplant when her father donated his kidney, but four years later she found out her body was rejecting the organ, which left her feeling "guilty".
She added: "When I found out, there was a nice cocktail of guilt, fear and a kind of hopelessness. But also it was like, okay, this is now a part of your life."
The 29-year-old actress underwent a second transplant in 2017, this time with her brother donating his kidney, and thankfully the surgery was successful.
And now, Sarah says that whilst it’s "okay" for other chronic illness sufferers to "feel angry", they shouldn’t let it "consume" them.
She said: "People who have chronic illness should take the time to say, ‘This isn’t fair.’ Take a moment to cry and be like ‘F you’ to whomever did this to me. It’s okay to feel angry, just don’t let it be all-consuming.
"I have realised the benefits of being able to talk about it. Not just for on a mental level for myself, but so that others don’t feel so alone."
Shortly before her second surgery, Sarah met her now-fiancée Wells Adams, and knew he was the one after he stuck with her through one of the toughest times in her life.
In an interview with People magazine, she said: "I had all these health issues at the very beginning of our relationship and then I was on massive amounts of painkillers in the hospital FaceTiming him at all hours of the day and night. He still liked me after that!"
Sarah Hyland: My chronic illness happened for a reason
