Christine is a student at Calvin University. She is on the swim team and loves watching TV shows with her friends. She is connected to the rare disease community through her brother, who has been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease. Christine and her brother bond over their shared inefficiency when trying to have a proper conversation. The most challenging thing about her brother’s rare disease is having to see him not have enough energy to go out and be with his friends or do the things he loves the most. After graduation, Christine hopes to be a part of the medical field.
Q: Has your brother’s rare disease affected your daily life and how? What has been most challenging?
A: Interestingly enough his disease did not affect my daily life because my mom knew what to expect from the diagnosis. I think the most challenging thing for me was to see my brother not have the energy to go out and be with friends and do the things that he loves the most.
Q: Why did you agree to be a part of this project? Why is this important to you?
A: I wanted to be a part of this project so that I can share my story even though it's not a typical story. There are so many different experiences out there and everyone should feel like they are able to tell their story.