Milli Garala

As a child, I struggled with eczema and various other skin diseases. In fact, some of my earliest memories are of being wrapped up with bandages before being able to go outside, due to my school nurse being unequipped to handle the lesions. Years later, I learned that those bandages made it worse, because I have contact dermatitis and am allergic to a chemical in the wraps. I advocate because being misdiagnosed can be detrimental to your health, and I want people to always trust themselves and get a second opinion whenever they can.

As a teenager, I was diagnosed with POTS. A quick Google search taught me that there is no cure and I could possibly have episodes during tennis matches or at school, where people might not know how to assist me. I knew I wanted to help the people around me support those with POTS during episodes.

I advocate because I believe even young people struggling with a chronic illness should not have to be told that their condition has to get worse before it gets better. You should not have to be on a plethora of different drugs in order to obtain the best one. Doctors need to advocate for patient needs, as well as making treatments more accessible.

I advocate for people like my younger self, who did not understand why she could not enjoy everyday experiences without flare-ups, watch what she ate in case it made her skin inflamed, or struggle to sit at the dermatologist during biopsies. I want her to know that it is not a weakness, it is something that enables you to fight for others.