On March 29, the Office of Disability Services hosted its first-ever Chronic Illness Panel in the Bowld Student Commons featuring panelists Beth Madison, associate professor of science and adult and professional studies, Professor Jill Wells, associate professor of social work and Daria Guthree, a junior Christian studies major, who all three have chronic illnesses.
Madison began the panel by explaining what chronic illness is compared to acute illnesses.
“Acute illness is one that can be cured or solved (another way to think of it) with some kind of treatment: surgery, pills, something else. It has a point A and it has a point B; it begins and it ends. Chronic illness begins and just keeps going. No matter what treatment you take with it, no matter what surgery, or pills, it will continue. It is incurable,” Madison said.
Beyond discussing what chronic illness is, the panelists also covered the importance of self-advocacy, communication, the support of others and especially reliance on God.
“You can either curl up in the corner and say ‘I’m done’ or you can back up and say ‘OK Jesus, take the wheel,’” Madison said. “He didn’t make a mistake when he put the R.A. genes and the Lupus genes in my DNA.”
All three panelists emphasized the importance of recognizing that someone’s chronic illness does not define them.
“There is a purpose and a plan for why I have this, and I am going to turn that around and allow that to be a strength to me instead of a negative piece,” Wells said. “I can utilize this as a gift to others, even if it is not the same diagnosis, but to connect with others and use that as a support to come alongside and help others in their journey.”
The panel was not only to help support those with chronic illnesses on campus but also to educate others about what life is like and how best to support someone with a chronic illness.
“I guess just the daily struggles that they go through and how difficult it can be,” Alexia Flynn, junior psychology major, said when asked what she learned from the panel. “Not just being like ‘hey you should try this thing’ or saying like ‘let me know if you need help’ but being more intentional with offering something specific.”
The Office of Disability Services hopes to start a support group this semester for those with chronic illnesses or those who have loved ones with chronic illnesses.
