009 - "Man Up": Dismissed Instead Of Treated. Ellie's Fight - Ellie Howe

At just 16, Ellie Howe’s life changed overnight. What began as stomach pain spiralled into years of misdiagnosis, disbelief, and unimaginable suffering — dismissed by doctors, labelled dramatic, and told to “man up.” By 19, she was bed bound, on artificial nutrition, and told her illness was “life-limiting.”But Ellie refused to let that be the end. With her mother’s relentless advocacy and a glimmer of hope, she found a surgeon willing to take a chance — a radical operation that would give her life back.Now, six years on, Ellie can eat, walk, and live fully again. She’s back at university, studying English, and runs A Note of Hope — a community where she shares stories of resilience to remind others that no matter how dark it gets, there’s always a way forward.In this episode, we explore:The emotional toll of being disbelieved by doctorsThe strength found in hope and human connection How therapy helped her rebuild her life and self-worth The power of sharing stories to help others surviveThis is a conversation about strength, grace, and the healing power of hope.Links mentioned:https://patientsknowbest.com/https://www.anoteofhope.com/Check out Ellie's social:@a.note.of.hope