Stancliff on Rare Diseases Day

Location: Baltimore, MD

Age: 37 years old

Pain Warrior Role: Advocate and ambassador since 2014

Conditions: Melker-Rosenthal Syndrome, Ramsay-Hunt Syndrome, lymphadnopothy, fibromyalgia, Non-Specific Brain T-2 flair lesions, degenerative disc disease, retinal inflammatory lesions, neuropathy, and demyelination of the facial nerve

Fun Fact: When feeling up to it, Stancliff uses what she learned at The School of Fine Arts & Photography to be creative. She enjoys playing with art of all kinds, including professional photography, sewing, and painting.

Tip for Pain Warriors: “Be your own advocate. You need to empower yourself through your illness. Becoming a pain advocate has let me meet other individuals like myself, and together we help each other. Remember to take deep breaths, be as patient with others as you can, and whatever you do, do not let anyone tell you that you cannot get through this. You can get through anything.”

As an active advocate, Stancliff has spent time at the National Institutes for Health. She is a staunch advocate for rare diseases, as she, herself, has several. When discussing her nomination this month she noted, “You have to be willing to love yourself enough to ‘fight the good fight’ every single day. Once that mindset happens, you will feel mighty…no longer a worrier, but a warrior, and a mighty warrior at that!”