Meet Trailblazer Katie Morrissey

Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Morrissey.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Katie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Back in 2012, I was diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) which is a form of dysautonomia. When I was diagnosed, I was very drained physically and emotionally because of a 5-year diagnostic delay. My physician suggested that I join a support group to meet other patients who understood what I was going through. I joined a POTS support group on Facebook that was created by Dysautonomia International which is a non-profit that seeks to improve the lives of individuals living with autonomic nervous system disorders. It was the best thing I ever did for myself. Not only did I get to meet and make friends with other patients but I learned so much more about POTS.

I started volunteering for Dysautonomia International because I loved how active they were, and still are, with their patient community. I had never seen an organization so dedicated to the people that they were fighting for. I started going to local meetups with other patients to get support for myself and to also give support to others. I also attended Dysautonomia International’s annual conferences where I was able to attend educational seminars and meet many of the world’s leading experts on autonomic disorders.

When I was diagnosed, I thought I would never be able to finish college or get married or have babies. It was a very hard time in my life. Dysautonomia International gave me hope for my own life when I thought that the life I knew was over after receiving a POTS diagnosis. They educated me and connected me with people who I now consider life long friends.

I am happy to report that I was able to finish my degree and hold a Bachelor of Science in Communications with a minor in Non-Profit Management. I own a home in Denver with my very loving and supportive husband and we have a very sweet 15-month-old son. I now work full time for Dysautonomia International as their Continuing Medical Education Coordinator. It is truly an honor that my career is to make sure physicians are being educated on dysautonomia and all its forms to reduce diagnostic delay and to hopefully one day find a cure for myself and many others around the world.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
My journey has not been a smooth one. Since POTS isn’t well known, I still got a lot of grief from people in my life. I had people tell me that I made up my diagnosis for attention or that they had never heard of it so it couldn’t be THAT bad or that I should just be thankful I didn’t have something like cancer and to move on with my life. Comments like this didn’t help me when I was trying to find my new “normal”. Although I had a wonderful support group that I had joined in the virtual world, the people that were physically in my life put me down a lot and it was very draining.

I remember one of my physicians told me that with this diagnosis I needed to find and create my new normal. That I could still have a fulfilling and rewarding life but that I needed to make the changes to accommodate ME. I dumped the negative people in my life. I switched to a university that was all online so that I could go at my own pace while dealing with unpleasant symptoms. I got a job where my boss knew and was understanding of what I was going through and was willing to work with me if I was having a bad POTS day.

My advice to other young women or anyone dealing with a chronic illness is that you have to take care of yourself before being able to give your best to the world.

We’d love to hear more about Dysautonomia International.
Dysautonomia International is a non-profit that seeks to improve the lives of individuals living with autonomic nervous system disorders through research, physician education, public awareness and patient empowerment programs.

Being the Continuing Medical Education Coordinator for Dysautonomia International, I am committed to educating physicians and all medical professionals about autonomic disorders to improve patient care so we can reduce diagnostic delays and improve the quality of care patients receive after being diagnosed with an autonomic disorder.

I am proud of Dysautonomia International because they are truly so dedicated to helping their patient community. Dysautonomia International also has the absolute BEST volunteers who work hard every day to spread awareness in their local communities.

So much of the media coverage is focused on the challenges facing women today, but what about the opportunities? Do you feel there are any opportunities that women are particularly well-positioned for?
I don’t believe that there are only specific jobs that women are well-positioned for. I feel like women can be in any position that they desire. We achieve this by empowering each other and believing that we can do great things! I hope I can always be that support for women in my community and around the world.

Contact Info:

• Website: dysautonomiainternational.org

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