Living with Migraine: An Invisible, Life-Changing Disease

What happens when a disorder often dismissed as “just a bad headache” begins to shape every aspect of your life? In part two of our series on migraine, we sit down with Katie MacDonald, executive director of Miles for Migraine and a longtime migraine patient, to explore the realities of living with a chronic neurovascular disorder. Diagnosed as a teenager, Katie shares how migraine progressed from occasional attacks to daily symptoms that ultimately changed her career path, her routines and her outlook on life. We discuss the challenges of living with an invisible illness, the stigma that many of those with migraine face, and the emotional toll of chronic pain. Katie explains how advocacy, connection and community helped transform her experience, leading her to become a national advocate working to improve awareness, research, treatment access and support for millions of people living with migraine. If you live with migraine, love someone who does, or want to better understand one of the world’s most common neurological disorders, this conversation offers insight, validation and hope.