At just 24 years old, model Lauren Wasser was healthy, thriving, and rapidly rising in the fashion world. But in 2012, a seemingly ordinary day turned into a medical nightmare — one that would change her life forever.

What began as mild, flu-like symptoms quickly spiraled into a life-threatening emergency. Lauren developed a fever, crippling exhaustion, and a sense that something was terribly wrong. Within hours, her body temperature soared to 107°F (42°C). Her organs began to fail. She suffered two heart attacks.

Doctors were running out of time when they finally traced the cause:
menstrual toxic shock syndrome (mTSS) — a rare but severe condition triggered by toxins released by bacteria, intensified by a super-absorbent tampon.

Lauren was placed in a coma. When she woke up, the world was different.

To save her life, surgeons amputated her right leg below the knee.

“I followed the rules. I did what we’re all taught to do,” she later said.

But the unspoken danger hidden inside a common hygiene product had stolen her leg — and nearly her life.

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A Second Amputation — and a Breaking Point

Although Lauren fought her way back from the brink, the damage to her body continued.

Seven years later, complications from the original infection forced doctors to amputate her left leg as well.

The emotional toll was crushing.

“There were moments I wanted to give up,” she said.
“But then I thought of my little brother. I couldn’t let him find me like that.”

That moment of clarity became a turning point.

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From Survivor to Global Advocate

Instead of retreating from the public eye, Lauren stepped straight into it.

She filed a lawsuit against the tampon manufacturer and began speaking out about the lack of transparency, education, and safety in menstrual products — an industry affecting billions of women worldwide.

“The vagina is one of the most absorbent parts of the body,” Lauren said.
“We have a right to know what we’re putting in it.”

Her mission:
✅ demand clearer labeling
✅ push for safer product standards
✅ educate women about TSS
✅ and challenge a system that long ignored female health risks

She transformed from victim to activist — and her voice sparked a global conversation many didn’t even know needed to happen.

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A New Chapter: Golden Legs, Global Campaigns, and Zero Limits

Lauren refused to let her trauma define her.

She returned to modeling, appearing in major campaigns and runway shows — empowered, unapologetic, and iconic with her custom gold prosthetic legs.

She runs, hikes, plays basketball, and works out daily. She models lingerie with confidence and humor.

“Why not shine?” she joked. “No pedicures required.”

Her golden prosthetics are now a symbol — not of loss, but of power.

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Changing the Future of Women’s Health

Beyond modeling, Lauren travels the world advocating for menstrual health reform. She urges women to trust their intuition, understand the risks of TSS, and demand safer options.

“I should still have my legs,” she says firmly. “No one should have to lose their body to manage a period.”

Her message is clear, bold, and urgent:

✨ Your story matters.
✨ Your body matters.
✨ And women deserve safer choices — always.

Lauren Wasser turned unimaginable suffering into a global movement. She isn’t merely surviving.

She’s leading.
She’s fighting.
And she won’t stop until every woman is informed, empowered, and protected.