For general EDS definitions and information, please visit the Ehlers-Danlos Society at the links below. 

• https://ehlers-danlos.com/ehlers-danlos-info/

• https://ehlers-danlos.com/may-ehlers-danlos-awareness-month/

For practical tips on living with EDS, try the following resources.

• EDS Life Hacks is a FaceBook group that emphasizes finding and sharing adaptations and modifications to ease the burdens of living with EDS.  https://www.facebook.com/groups/edslifehacks/
• EDS Wellness is a nonprofit that helps EDS or HSD patients find ways to integrate fitness into their self-care plan. Just 5 Minutes is a great way to get started.  http://edswellness.org/2016/11/14/just-5-minutes-15-min-group-class-join-us-today-3pm-est
• EDS Athletes is a FaceBook group that offers a community committed to using fitness to manage EDS, and all abilities are welcome, from those using Physical Therapy to recover or rebuild, to those who are competitive athletes. https://www.facebook.com/groups/EDSAthletes/

I am a patient advocate and educator for Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes (EDS), and related Rare diseases.  Before being severely impacted by EDS, I spent 12 years as a Licensed Massage Therapist, and also worked in a Physical Therapy clinic teaching patients how to isolate and engage specific muscles for rehabilitation.  The practical knowledge of anatomy and physiology that I gained became a great tool, and I now use it to help myself and others cope with and manage EDS.  When my own condition became complicated, I wanted to really understand it.  I turned to medical journals, and academic study in Biology to deepen my understanding of connective tissue, Mast cells, fibroblasts, genetics, and related physiology and structures.

I have been an Ehlers-Danlos National Foundation Medical Help Line volunteer, and an Administrator for multiple social media groups that focus on living well with EDS and its comorbid conditions.  From 2016 until present I pursued a series of research projects in collaboration with Michelle Hawes, the former Director of the Conflict Resolution Graduate Certificate Program at the University of Utah Department of Communication and a mediator in private practice, to assess EDS patient needs, and support the betterment of our care in Utah.

In 2019 I accepted a position as a Rare Action Network (RAN), Utah State Ambassador to directly support legislation that will benefit the Rare disease communities of Utah; please considering joining your state's RAN. https://rareaction.org

I also began participation in the vEDS Collaborative in 2019, to support research efforts to better understand and treat vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. https://www.vedscollaborative.org

I am committed to helping myself and others with Rare disease gain access to quality care and treatment.  Contact me: justine@justinegcase.com