Ironmouse, the VTuber and streamer, has been streaming since 2017.

Her content mainly revolves around gaming, voice acting, singing, or simply talking about her fans. However, she has never revealed her face to anyone to date.

Nobody knows what Ironmouse looks like in real life, and the only thing known about her is that she is a Puerto Rican-American VTuber. Her appearance is that of a girl with fluffy pink hair with a heart-shaped ahoge and hairpins.

She also has white horns and light purple eyes. While there is a lore behind Ironmouse and how the character came to life, the main reason behind it is quite heartbreaking.

The streamer, who hides behind her alter ego of Ironmouse, started doing so because of her illness. Due to loneliness because of her health, the anonymous streamer created the character Ironmouse, which has helped her escape her brutal reality of illness and weak health.

What disease does Ironmouse have?

The streamer behind Ironmouse suffers from Common Variable Immune Deficiency, also known as CVID. It is unknown if Ironmouse suffers from Primary Immunodeficiency, best known as PI, but she often raises awareness of the illness.

CVID is an immunological illness characterized by recurrent infections and low antibody levels, particularly in immunoglobulin (Ig) types IgG, IgM, and IgA. According to WebMD, symptoms include a high vulnerability to external invaders, chronic pulmonary illness, and gastrointestinal inflammation and infection. 

CVID affects both men and women equally. The illness can be present in children or teenagers. However, it is not usually diagnosed or recognized until adulthood. 

The typical age of diagnosis ranges from age 20 to 50. Unfortunately, CVID is a chronic condition that lasts a lifetime.

Similarly, PI is the condition in which a component of the body’s immune system is lacking or malfunctions. To be classified as a PI, the immune deficiency must be inherited and not induced by secondary causes such as another disease, pharmacological therapy, or exposure to chemicals in the environment. 

The majority of primary immunodeficiencies are hereditary illnesses, with the majority being identified in infants under the age of one. However, milder types may not be recognized until maturity. 

Immune deficits can lead to chronic or recurring infections, auto-inflammatory illnesses, tumors, and organ dysfunction. There are currently few therapies available for these disorders, most of which are unique to a specific kind of PI. 

Ironmouse also has a lung condition. She is often isolated, bedridden, and on oxygen because of her poor health.

Her health and illness have made her largely homebound, with her interacting with the world via her avatar, Ironmouse.

Is Ironmouse dying?

Ironmouse often talks about her illness with her fans and followers. Since then, they have been concerned about her health, often asking, “Is Ironmouse dying?”

Ironmouse suffers from chronic illness, something she has been dealing with before she started streaming. Even though CVID is difficult to handle, it is not life-threatening if she is taking all her medications.  

If there is proper medical attention, a properly balanced diet, lifestyle modifications according to the health and illness along strong support systems like family, people with CVID can live a socio-normative lifestyle. According to Reddit, Ironmouse mentioned in 2021 that she was feeling much better than before.

She lives with her family, who takes care of her health properly. She even mentioned that she was feeling better in a long time.

She told The Washington Post in December 2022 that streaming has also saved her life. “My health started improving because let’s be honest,” she said, “money helps with getting stuff.”

So, it seems like even though her illness demands a lot of care and support from her family — both emotionally and financially — Ironmouse is doing well.

That being said, Ironmouse often raises awareness about her condition to her fans and followers. From simply talking about it to raising donations, the streamer does her best to educate her fans and followers about CVID and PI.

In a December 2022 interview with Plasma Hero, Ironmouse talked about her illness. She said, “At the time, I think I was so worried I didn’t realize how talking about it could raise awareness; I don’t make my illness the main focus of my content, but I do speak about it from time to time for education and awareness and to explain why I may not be feeling my best at times.”

Talking about her health and plasma donations, she said, “Plasma is liquid gold to me. Without it, I get very sick, but with my regular infusions, I am able to live my life to the best of my ability. Plasma has given me an opportunity to live again.” 

On August 4, 2021, the streamer held a charity event on the occasion of her Twitch anniversary, where she raised over $100K for Immune Deficiency Foundation. 

In 2022, her friend and fellow streamer, CDawg, raised over $300K for Immune Deficiency Foundation through a cycleathon. Similarly, in June 2023, she did a 30-day subathon, where she donated half of her subscription income to the foundation.