June 6, 2025

Walking the Carpet for a Cause: Why Pretty Hurts Matters More Than You Know

Walking the Carpet for a Cause: Why Pretty Hurts Matters More Than You Know

I had the incredible honor of attending the premiere of Lifetime and GSK’s powerful new original movie, Pretty Hurts — and let’s just say, this time, the red-carpet experience was a little different than my first. That one involved me, a bottle of wine, and a stain that still haunts me. But this? This was actually my red-carpet moment. 

 

 

The film, starring Haylie Duff (who was as warm and gracious in real life as you’d hope), is part of GSK’s #Ask2BSure campaign — a movement that’s incredibly close to my heart. Pretty Hurts tells a gripping and emotional story inspired by real families impacted by meningococcal disease, better known as meningitis.

 

 

I was so proud to join my fellow advocates and dynamic Mother-Daughter-Duo Patsy and Jamie Schanbaum as well as Dr. Aprel Barnes, Sarah Michelle Geller and Alyson Hannigan on a panel discussion following the screening to talk about the very real and often devastating effects of meningitis. I shared my personal experience as a survivor, and how it changed everything — instantly. There were no meningitis vaccinations available when I got sick, but now there are. And that’s exactly why this film, and this campaign, matter.

 

Meningitis doesn’t give you a heads-up. It doesn’t send a calendar invite. It shows up uninvited, and fast. But awareness is powerful. When parents know to #Ask2BSure—to ask their teen’s pediatrician about meningitis vaccination to help protect against meningitis—that knowledge can change everything. It could save a life. No one expects it, but the better informed you are can make all the difference. 

 

 

Being part of this premiere wasn’t just a great honor — it was personal. I’m still here to tell my story, and I’ll keep telling it so others never have to live it. Tune in to Pretty Hurts on June 28 at 8pm ET on Lifetime, or stream it the next day at mylifetime.com/movies. Watch it with your teens. Talk about it. Start the conversation.

Because as I always say:
“Survival isn’t the end of the journey—it’s just the beginning.”