For Shingles Awareness Week, Lifestyle Asia speaks with seasoned journalist and news anchor Bernadette Sembrano about managing Shingles, debunking misconceptions, and the importance of staying informed about the disease.
Shingles is often misunderstood as a disease that solely affects the elderly or as a severe, untreatable condition. In reality, there are numerous misconceptions surround it, many of which need to be dispelled. The condition can affect individuals as early as their 50’s, particularly those navigating stressful lifestyles. Factors such as age, pre-existing health conditions, and stress can weaken the immune system, increasing vulnerability to infections like shingles. It is not just a concern for older adults but also for working professionals aged 50 and above and those with underlying health risks. Rather than a disease to be feared, shingles should be better understood—both for prevention and effective management.
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This is why we are especially grateful that GSK and the International Federation on Ageing (IFA) have partnered for Shingles Awareness Week—an annual global initiative dedicated to bridging the knowledge gap on the risks and potential impact of shingles. Taking place from February 24 to March 2, 2025, Shingles Awareness Week was established to foster informed conversations between adults, particularly those aged 50 and above, and their healthcare professionals.
What Is Shingles?
Shingles is a painful disease caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), the same virus that causes chickenpox. It typically manifests as a rash with painful blisters on the chest, abdomen, or face. The pain is often described as aching, burning, stabbing, or shock-like. Following the rash, a person may develop post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN), a persistent nerve pain that can last for weeks or months and, in some cases, even years. PHN is the most common complication of shingles, occurring in 5–30% of cases, depending on the individual’s age. Shingles can also affect the eyes, sometimes leading to vision loss in rare cases. Additionally, it has been linked to serious complications such as heart attacks and strokes.
If left untreated, shingles can lead to serious and long-lasting complications. By age 50, most adults have the VZV virus dormant in their nervous system, which may reactivate with age. As the immune system weakens over time, the risk of developing shingles increases.
Beating the Unexpected
One such dynamic individual who has unexpectedly experienced shingles is Bernadette Sembrano, a seasoned journalist and news anchor. While managing her health has always been part of her routine, it was never a major concern. She thrives in a fast-paced world where precision and composure are essential. Yet, even the most prepared individuals can be caught off guard—a reality she faced upon being diagnosed with shingles, a condition she never imagined she would have.
The studio lights, the steady rhythm of teleprompters, and the urgency of breaking news had always been part of Sembrano’s routine. But one evening, just moments before going on air, she noticed something unusual—a tingling sensation near her right eye.
“It didn’t hurt— just felt like something was off,” she recalls. At first, she brushed it off. But a fellow anchor noticed the rash and recognized it immediately.
“That’s shingles!” the colleague said, urging her to seek medical attention.
Still unconvinced, Sembrano took a photo and sent it to a dermatologist. The response was swift and certain: she had shingles.
“I consider myself fit and healthy – I didn’t expect it would happen to me,” she admits.
Like many others, Sembrano assumed shingles was a condition that wouldn’t affect someone like her—someone who ate well, exercised, and remained highly productive. But the reality is that shingles isn’t dictated by lifestyle choices alone because managing stress is one way to prevent it. The virus that causes it—the same one responsible for chickenpox—remains dormant in the body and can reactivate when the immune system is weakened by stress, aging, or underlying health conditions.
What made her case particularly alarming was where the shingles appeared. “I learned that when shingles develops near the eyes, it can lead to serious complications—even blindness1,6”, she shares. Concerned, she sought a second opinion from an ophthalmologist, who confirmed she had herpes zoster ophthalmicus—a type of shingles that affects the eye area. “I was lucky we caught it early because the treatment for shingles is expensive,” she admits. “If I had ignored it, the outcome could have been much worse.
Stay Informed
Bernadette’s experience isn’t uncommon because around 90% of adults already have the inactivated chickenpox virus. In fact, one in three people will develop shingles in their lifetime. Meanwhile, one in four people with this condition develops the condition near the eye, putting them at risk for vision problems and long-term nerve damage. And while shingles risk increases with age—particularly after 50—those with pre-existing conditions or weakened immune systems face an even greater likelihood of developing it.
Sembrano has always been meticulous about research, facts, and information, but she admits she never took the time to fully understand shingles until she experienced it herself. “Much like in journalism, knowledge is everything when it comes to health. If I had known earlier how vulnerable I was, I would have been more proactive,” she says.
For those who think they are too young, too strong, or too busy to be affected, Sembrano offers a reality check: shingles doesn’t wait. “So, what can we do about it?” she asks. “First, we need to take care of our bodies—eat well, sleep on time, and manage stress. The United States’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommends vaccination as the best way to prevent shingles. But more than anything, we need to ask questions. We need to be informed.”
She emphasizes that awareness starts with a conversation, especially for those with pre-existing health conditions or who have reached the age of 50, when the risk of shingles significantly increases.
“Talk to your doctor about shingles, understand your risks, and learn how to protect yourself before it happens. Because when it comes to your health, prevention is always better than cure.”
Do you have a shingles story like Bernadette’s? Or do you know someone who has experienced it? Start the conversation and help raise awareness. Learn more about shingles treatment and prevention by consulting your doctor or visiting whatisshingles.ph.
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Visit https://whatisshingles.ph/ to know more about shingles.
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NP-PH-HZU-ADVR-250002 | March 2025
Banner photo by Mark Dookie Ducay.
DISCLAIMER: This article represents the opinions of the authors and is the product of professional research. Any errors are the faults of the authors, who remain fully responsible for the views expressed or any remaining errors or omissions. Due to limited space, the article was not able to refer to references used. For a list of sections adopted from other works and its complete references, please email: [email protected].
