Mamya Shajaffar celebrates reclaiming life's simple joys after illness

“Last year October me could never had thought that I’d be able to achieve any of the things I did this year. And let me tell you walking around wearing a pretty dress seemed really far fetched last year,” she added.

For Mamya, dressing up, getting her glam done and attending fashion events are about more than personal style. They represent a renewed appreciation for the freedom to participate in experiences she once took for granted.

“I dreamt about leaving my wheelchair and never wasting a second of the beautiful life that I once took for granted, never again,” she wrote. “So fellas when I get my fashion on, do my glam, it purely comes from the part of me that wants to live COMPLETELY,” she added.

Her words lend a different meaning to the glamorous photographs. Behind the polished looks and fashion-forward appearances is a deeply personal story of navigating illness and finding new possibilities. View this post on Instagram.

Mamya has previously spoken openly about her health struggles, including living with lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease that can affect multiple organs. Her experience has involved serious complications, hospitalisation and an extended period of treatment.

In aninterviewin June, she described how people living with chronic illnesses can feel compelled to conceal their pain behind a composed exterior. “A lot of people with chronic illnesses become masters at making pain look graceful because the world responds better to suffering,” she said in a social media video discussed in the report.

Her latest post, however, shifts the focus from the hardships of recovery to the experiences she can now embrace again. For Mamya, fashion has become a way to express her determination to live fully. The statement reframes the glamour associated with celebrity appearances.

The dresses, makeup and photographs are not merely about presenting a polished public image; they are also a celebration of the freedom to enjoy life, explore personal style and pursue experiences that illness had once made difficult to imagine. Mamya's October reflection also looked ahead to the professional milestones awaiting her.

Among them is her film. Lali, produced by Sarmad Khoosat, which is set to premiere at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival. “As im transitioning from Paris fashion week to Lali showcasing at BFI to now getting back to acting, I will say I am grateful.

Only smiles only love,” she wrote. As she moves from fashion appearances towards her return to acting, Mamya's message is clear: she wants to embrace life in its entirety, with all the creativity, movement and possibilities it offers.