Every person living with headache or migraine has a story worth sharing. The Strength in Every Story series features real voices from the community—people who have faced stigma, navigated complex care journeys, and found ways to thrive. Their experiences offer hope, validation, and solidarity to others on the same path, reminding us that no one has to face headache disease alone.
Balancing the Homefront: Military Wife, Mother, Career, Migraine Advocate
At just 10 years old, JP was diagnosed with migraine with aura. Little did she know this would be the start of a lifelong battle with chronic migraine disease.
Beating Yourself Up to Doing the Best You Can with Headache and Migraine
Stacey has understood the seriousness of migraine disease since childhood. While she can’t pinpoint the exact date or trigger, she remembers the pain at only 16 years old and her parents rushing her to the emergency room, desperate for answers.
Driven by Pain and Finding a New Purpose
Kayla’s journey with cluster headache and intractable chronic migraine began after being struck by a motorcycle. The head pain came soon after and were the first of many attacks that she would wake up to every morning for the next three years of her life.
Fighting the Same Pain for 40 Years
For decades, Charlene’s life has unfolded in two worlds: the one she tries to live in and the one her chronic migraine pulls her into without warning with intense pain and aching loss.
Finding ‘Joy Shots’ Amidst the Pain
Ann has lived with migraine for over 60 years, beginning in 1963, when she was 7 or 8 years old. It started after she fell from a high platform while attempting to use a rope swing, landing hard on the back of her head and losing consciousness.
Finding Balance Between Migraine and Future Motherhood: Q&A with Stesha
While serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, Stesha began experiencing intense head pain she initially tried to ignore, believing it was just something to push through. Now, working in higher education supporting fellow veterans, she continues to manage debilitating attacks while preparing for motherhood and advocating for more compassionate care.
Finding Wholeness Through a Combination of Different Approaches: Q&A with Nekohl
Nekohl, a former U.S. Army 92B-10 E-4 Medical Laboratory Specialist, served for eight years in a role that marked the beginning of a remarkable career in clinical laboratory leadership. Shortly after being deployed, she would begin experiencing symptoms that would take years to understand.
From Childhood Struggles to Finding Hope
Kimberly has been battling headache disease since she was just 4 years old. As a young child, she vividly remembers the debilitating pain and sensitivity to light that would leave her curled up in her room.
From Stigma and Confusion to an Empowered Life
Elizabeth, a mom and healthcare worker, has struggled with headache attacks for most of her life. She experienced symptoms throughout high school and after pregnancy. In 2001, she was officially diagnosed with migraine with aura and later became chronic intractable migraine with and without aura.
Generational Pain and Missing Conversations
Jyn, a U.S. Navy veteran, was nearly 21 years old when she experienced her first migraine attack while serving aboard at an aircraft carrier. Now, she continues to manage her migraine while also navigating the challenges of raising a child who lives with the condition as well.
Holding Onto Joy Through Hardship
From identifying hormonal triggers that contributed to her pain to navigating a lifetime of treatment, Hope shares her journey of resilience and finding balance while living with migraine.
Living with Intractable Migraine
Jaime shares her journey of perseverance, finding community, and addressing medical biases to bring awareness to migraine and headache disorders.