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.
Pretty Hurts, 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. The film follows Julie, played by Haylie Duff, a relatable mom juggling the demands of family life and a career, while navigating the challenges of parenting a teen in high school. After Julie’s daughter, Lauren, enters a beauty pageant to win scholarship money for college, meningitis suddenly strikes close to home, showcasing the impact of the disease on both their family and an entire community.
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 is rare, but real. It 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 vaccination to help protect against meningitis—that knowledge can change everything. It could save a life. No one expects it, but being better informed 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. Because as I always say: “Survival isn’t the end of the journey—it’s just the beginning.”
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.
John B Grimes
Host
One of the lucky ones, John miraculously survived meningococcal disease (bacterial meningitis) as a sophomore in college. John’s body endured considerable trauma that was mostly healed with physical therapy. But, neurological dysfunction and blindness are permanent reminders of his battle with meningitis.
To spread awareness John is an active advocate with meningitis organizations and shares his unique survival story and journey on his podcast, Destiny Is Debatable with a mission empower people to be successful regardless of their circumstances.
John motivates with a message full of impact that is universally understood. "The filter through which you view your circumstances is most certainly up to you. Whether you wake up in your own bed tomorrow, in a luxury suite at the Ritz-Carlton, or in a hospital, don’t wait to start building your life into the one you want. Waiting is like being at the DMV: your future seems to be in the hands of the apathetic (doctors with poor prognoses, bosses who don’t value you, and your own nagging self-doubt). Don’t wait. Just do the next right thing. Even if you end up taking two steps forward and one step back, that’s still progress. In Texas, we even call it dancing."
Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow
