Migraine World Summit 2019: March 20th – 28th

*Edited on February 2nd, 2019 to include the summit dates.

I am delighted to have been chosen as a volunteer for the Migraine World Summit – an annual live event which will be held on March 20th – 28th, 2019. It is available online and free.

As part of my role, I will be a Social Media Manager for LinkedIn and Facebook. Our mission is simple – to reduce the global burden of Migraine. By giving access to many of the world’s top experts, information is shared that can be discussed with the patient’s healthcare professionals to improve individual’s situations for the better.

The Migraine World Summit provides an opportunity to improve patients’ and caregivers’ understanding of Migraine and Headache disorders, by providing access to 30+ leading migraine experts, doctors and specialists from around the world.

A very close friend was diagnosed with New Daily Persistent Headache (NDPH) with Migraine Subtype a few years ago. Ever since then I have been so passionate about spreading awareness about chronic illnesses, as this is the only way to create a more accepting, understanding world with medical and social validation for those who suffer.

Migraine, is a genetic Neurological condition, like epilepsy. Headache may be the most common or well known symptom of Migraine, however it is a complex brain disorder with many possible symptoms. Some patients can have a Migraine with no headache. What many people are not aware of is that there are numerous types of headache and Migraine disorders. The International Headache Society (HIS) classifies the various types of migraines and headaches using strict diagnostic criteria.

The majority of Chronic Pain conditions and diseases are often called “invisible illnesses” as outwardly a person can look “normal” but be in excruciating pain. Unfortunately, it’s very easy for invisible illnesses to be viewed upon differently or not given the level of appreciation it deserves, but if you think about it, the majority of illnesses are “invisible” – Lupus, Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS), Cancer, Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Lyme Disease, Heart Disease, Migraine, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Sjogren’s Disease, to name a few. Unfortunately, there is no instruction manual for living a life with chronic/invisible illness and for facing the limitations and challenges caused by it.

For those who are fortunate to live life without an invisible illness, it can be difficult to understand and relate to someone who has been diagnosed. We have all had colds, flues, aches and pains. Our options to fix our illness might be to take anti-inflammatories, a soothing bath, and cold medications, even try to simply get some rest. No one judges us for that and many even empathise for the few days we feel under the weather. Thankfully, most of us are back on our feet and moving on with our lives in no time.

But imagine if that cold or flu never went away? What if the pain and fatigue stayed around or even got worse? What would you do then? Imagine finding out that what you have is chronic, had no known cure, and that it could potentially be part of your life forever. Now, envision trying to explain this new painful reality to your family, friends, and co-workers in a way that they would understand when at times, you may look perfectly fine from the outside.

Migraines are largely misunderstood by those who don’t suffer from them. Many people believe if you just take some pills, it’ll be all better. They don’t understand the mental, physical, and emotional toll it takes. This is the reason I am delighted to be part of something so big as the Migraine World Summit – to help spread awareness and let people know, it’s “not just a headache!”

If you or anyone you know suffers from Migraine/headaches, sign up for this free, unmissable event. Spreading awareness about invisible illnesses, such as Migraine, is the only way to create a more accepting, understanding world with medical and social validation for those who suffer.  Please help spread the word by participating in our online community, see the below links!

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

The 2019 schedule will be released shorty, but in the meantime, take a look at the speakers from 2018 here.

You can also read the news release here.