You're in for a treat on today's episode of NORDpod as I welcome chronic illness advocate Sarah Pennington to the show. Since the age of 11, Sarah has been managing a condition known as Trichotillomania, a disorder that involves recurrent, irresistible urges to pull out body hair. An estimated 330,000 children in the US alone may face Trichotillomania in their early tween/teenage years, a time in your life that may be challenging enough on its own. Sarah decided to do something by taking ownership of her condition, and, after many years of depression and suicidal thoughts, coupled with months in a residential treatment program. The moment she decided to take off her wig instantly transformed her into a vessel for purpose and impact. And so, she has taken on a new challenge: beauty pageants. So prepare yourself for a profoundly inspiring conversation about perseverance, motivation, and how to pay it forward. Enjoy the show.

NORDpod is the official podcast of the National Organization for Rare Disorders. For more information, visit https://rarediseases.org or email nordpod@rarediseases.org.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.