Jackson woman with rare medical condition inspired by nurses

JACKSON, Mich. (WILX) - A Jackson woman is pursuing a career as a nurse to help those like herself. Allie Curtis is wheelchair bound due to a genetic condition, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome.

Allie’s visited many hospitals for surgeries and procedures. She’s someone who lives with her condition and doesn’t let it define her and says the experience has made her appreciate life more.

Allie’s received a lot of support and care throughout her journey with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. She’s gone through countless hospital stays to help her with her hyper-mobility due to this genetic disorder causing her joints to dislocate multiple times a day on a daily basis.

It’s the care she received from healthcare workers that inspired her to become a registered nurse and start going to the Jackson Area Career Center.

Allie Curtis explains “I really enjoy the Career Center. When I first got my diagnosis, I was in the hospital and realized that I wanted to be a nurse. They came in and they were hooking me up to things and talking to me, they were really the most helpful and influential people in my life at that point. They were explaining things to me, and making me feel like a person, not a patient.”

Allie says her experience will allow her to help those like herself living with disabilities.

Ehlers Danlos Syndrome appears to be in at least one in 5,000 individuals worldwide. The hypermobile form like Allie has occurs in one in 5,000 to 20,000 people.

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