{"id":487321,"url":"\/real-stories\/","layout":"standard","version":"2025-10-15T20:39:19.000000Z","blocks":[{"id":4679073,"type":"slideshow","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":0,"items":[{"id":4679074,"type":"banner","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":0,"items":[],"properties":{"type":{"id":115966411,"value":"slim"},"title":{"id":115966412,"value":"EDS Real Stories"},"copy":{"id":115966413,"value":"Powerful words from people living with EDS"},"titleColor":{"id":115966414,"value":"#{banner.title.color}"},"titleBackground":{"id":115966415,"value":"#{banner.title.background.color}"},"copyColor":{"id":115966416,"value":"#{banner.copy.color}"},"copyBackground":{"id":115966417,"value":"#{banner.copy.background.color}"},"contentWidth":{"id":115966418,"value":"95%"},"textShadow":{"id":115966419,"value":"#{banner.text.shadow}"},"borderRadius":{"id":115966420,"value":"999px"},"buttonBorderRadius":{"id":115966421,"value":"#{button.border.radius}"},"buttonBackgroundColor":{"id":115966422,"value":"#{button.primary.color}"},"buttonStyle":{"id":115966423,"value":"secondary"},"buttonSize":{"id":115966424,"value":"standard"},"overlayOpacity":{"id":115966425,"value":"0.3"},"overlayColourStart":{"id":115966426,"value":"#000000"},"overlayColourEnd":{"id":115966427,"value":"#000000"},"overlayDirection":{"id":115966428,"value":"90"},"image":{"id":115966429,"value":"{\"src\":\"https:\\\/\\\/images.podos.io\\\/bhg82j7g0xbuufxstpar5hmvzpmofer3lpgnfz6ct3j0oh3s.png.png?w=auto&h=auto\",\"alt\":\"\"}"},"video":{"id":115966430,"value":null},"videoThumbnail":{"id":115966431,"value":null},"media":{"id":115966432,"value":"image"},"align":{"id":115966433,"value":"center"},"verticalAlignment":{"id":115966434,"value":"center"},"font":{"id":115966435,"value":"#{heading1.font}"},"actions":{"id":115966436,"value":"[{\"text\":null,\"href\":\"#\"},{\"text\":null,\"href\":\"#\"}]"},"padding":{"id":115966438,"value":"6"},"fullWidth":{"id":115966439,"value":"0"},"fullBackgroundColor":{"id":115966440,"value":"#{banner.fullBackground.color}"},"published":{"id":115966441,"value":"1"},"conditions":{"id":115966442,"value":"[]"},"template":{"id":116059796,"value":"slide"}}}],"properties":{"mode":{"id":115966401,"value":"slideshow"},"speed":{"id":115966402,"value":"5000"},"navigation":{"id":115966403,"value":"0"},"limit":{"id":115966404,"value":"1"},"padding":{"id":115966406,"value":"3"},"fullWidth":{"id":115966407,"value":"1"},"fullBackgroundColor":{"id":115966408,"value":"#0000"},"published":{"id":115966409,"value":"1"},"conditions":{"id":115966410,"value":"[]"},"template":{"id":116059795,"value":"blank-slideshow"}}},{"id":4679076,"type":"row","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":1,"items":[{"id":4679138,"type":"pod","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":0,"items":[],"properties":{"video":{"id":115967829,"value":"Q3V1ItCnfas"},"ratio":{"id":115967830,"value":"short"},"overlay":{"id":115967831,"value":"0"},"borderRadius":{"id":115967832,"value":"4px"},"overlayOpacity":{"id":115967833,"value":"0"},"overlayColourStart":{"id":115967834,"value":"#0000"},"overlayColourEnd":{"id":115967835,"value":"#0000"},"overlayDirection":{"id":115967836,"value":"90"}}},{"id":4679139,"type":"textBlock","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":1,"items":[],"properties":{"html":{"id":115967837,"value":"

'You learn to be 'fine', you learn your fine is painful, your fine is fragile, your fine is exhausted and fatigued, but still smiling.<\/strong><\/h3>

'Your fine is broken, glued together, with splints and casts and tape.<\/strong><\/h3>

'Your fine is struggle, your fine is the achievement of getting out of bed this morning, of putting on clothes.<\/strong><\/h3>

'Your fine is stumbling through brain fog, not putting the boiling water on your cereal at breakfast instead of milk.<\/strong><\/h3>

'Your fine is battling with a constant pain which consumes you, a cage with no escape, the bars tight around you restricting your movement... but I'm fine'<\/strong><\/h3>"},"textColor":{"id":115967838,"value":"#{text.color}"},"borderRadius":{"id":115967839,"value":"4px"},"backgroundColour":{"id":115967840,"value":"#0000"}}}],"properties":{"backgroundColor":{"id":115966251,"value":"#0000"},"borderRadius":{"id":115966252,"value":"4px"},"padding":{"id":115966254,"value":"6"},"fullWidth":{"id":115966255,"value":"0"},"fullBackgroundColor":{"id":115966256,"value":"#fff0"},"published":{"id":115966257,"value":"1"},"conditions":{"id":115966258,"value":"[]"},"direction":{"id":115967827,"value":"column"},"template":{"id":115967828,"value":"video"}}},{"id":4679079,"type":"row","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":3,"items":[{"id":4682392,"type":"pod","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":0,"items":[],"properties":{"video":{"id":116059813,"value":"vsqx5QkfGNY"},"ratio":{"id":116059814,"value":"short"},"overlay":{"id":116059815,"value":"0"},"borderRadius":{"id":116059816,"value":"4px"},"overlayOpacity":{"id":116059817,"value":"0"},"overlayColourStart":{"id":116059818,"value":"#0000"},"overlayColourEnd":{"id":116059819,"value":"#0000"},"overlayDirection":{"id":116059820,"value":"90"}}},{"id":4682393,"type":"textBlock","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":1,"items":[],"properties":{"html":{"id":116059821,"value":"

'We unlocked the invisible suffering of EDS'<\/h3>

'It's labelled as an invisible disease but the pain is very real'<\/h3>

<\/h3>"},"textColor":{"id":116059822,"value":"#{text.color}"},"borderRadius":{"id":116059823,"value":"4px"},"backgroundColour":{"id":116059824,"value":"#0000"}}}],"properties":{"backgroundColor":{"id":115966272,"value":"#0000"},"borderRadius":{"id":115966273,"value":"4px"},"padding":{"id":115966275,"value":"6"},"fullWidth":{"id":115966276,"value":"0"},"fullBackgroundColor":{"id":115966277,"value":"#fff0"},"published":{"id":115966278,"value":"1"},"conditions":{"id":115966279,"value":"[]"},"direction":{"id":116059811,"value":"column"},"template":{"id":116059812,"value":"video"}}},{"id":4679082,"type":"row","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":4,"items":[{"id":4679083,"type":"pod","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":0,"items":[],"properties":{"video":{"id":115966301,"value":"2q4anJRM-LA"},"ratio":{"id":115966302,"value":"short"},"overlay":{"id":115966303,"value":"0"},"borderRadius":{"id":115966304,"value":"4px"},"overlayOpacity":{"id":115966305,"value":"0"},"overlayColourStart":{"id":115966306,"value":"#0000"},"overlayColourEnd":{"id":115966307,"value":"#0000"},"overlayDirection":{"id":115966308,"value":"90"}}},{"id":4679084,"type":"textBlock","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":1,"items":[],"properties":{"html":{"id":115966309,"value":"

'You don't see every single moment of Martina's life. You don't see the days when she's wrapped up in ice. You don't see the days when she can't get out of bed. And you don't see the days on which she cries.'<\/strong><\/h3>

<\/p>"},"textColor":{"id":115966310,"value":"#{text.color}"},"borderRadius":{"id":115966311,"value":"4px"},"backgroundColour":{"id":115966312,"value":"#0000"}}}],"properties":{"direction":{"id":115966292,"value":"column"},"backgroundColor":{"id":115966293,"value":"#0000"},"borderRadius":{"id":115966294,"value":"4px"},"template":{"id":115966295,"value":"video"},"padding":{"id":115966296,"value":"6"},"fullWidth":{"id":115966297,"value":"0"},"fullBackgroundColor":{"id":115966298,"value":"#fff0"},"published":{"id":115966299,"value":"1"},"conditions":{"id":115966300,"value":"[]"}}},{"id":4679085,"type":"row","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":7,"items":[{"id":4679086,"type":"pod","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":0,"items":[],"properties":{"video":{"id":115966322,"value":"Gkorh94PTFg"},"ratio":{"id":115966323,"value":"short"},"overlay":{"id":115966324,"value":"0"},"borderRadius":{"id":115966325,"value":"4px"},"overlayOpacity":{"id":115966326,"value":"0"},"overlayColourStart":{"id":115966327,"value":"#0000"},"overlayColourEnd":{"id":115966328,"value":"#0000"},"overlayDirection":{"id":115966329,"value":"90"}}},{"id":4679087,"type":"textBlock","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":1,"items":[],"properties":{"html":{"id":115966330,"value":"

'I'm really conscious of my energy. I'm only able to do so much before I get tired or get sore.'<\/strong><\/h3>"},"textColor":{"id":115966331,"value":"#{text.color}"},"borderRadius":{"id":115966332,"value":"4px"},"backgroundColour":{"id":115966333,"value":"#0000"}}}],"properties":{"direction":{"id":115966313,"value":"column"},"backgroundColor":{"id":115966314,"value":"#0000"},"borderRadius":{"id":115966315,"value":"4px"},"template":{"id":115966316,"value":"video"},"padding":{"id":115966317,"value":"6"},"fullWidth":{"id":115966318,"value":"0"},"fullBackgroundColor":{"id":115966319,"value":"#fff0"},"published":{"id":115966320,"value":"1"},"conditions":{"id":115966321,"value":"[]"}}},{"id":4679088,"type":"row","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":5,"items":[{"id":4679089,"type":"pod","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":0,"items":[],"properties":{"video":{"id":115966343,"value":"5toRNvFug3Y"},"ratio":{"id":115966344,"value":"short"},"overlay":{"id":115966345,"value":"0"},"borderRadius":{"id":115966346,"value":"4px"},"overlayOpacity":{"id":115966347,"value":"0"},"overlayColourStart":{"id":115966348,"value":"#0000"},"overlayColourEnd":{"id":115966349,"value":"#0000"},"overlayDirection":{"id":115966350,"value":"90"}}},{"id":4679090,"type":"textBlock","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":1,"items":[],"properties":{"html":{"id":115966351,"value":"

'People have a standard and they think that you have to meet that standard in order for them to accept your disability.'<\/strong><\/h3>

'Some days I can run, some days I can do hikes... most of the time I spend sitting in bed resting.'<\/strong><\/h3>

'I have to take a lot of time to recuperate. I have to take a lot of medication, but people don't see that aspect of my life, it's all behind closed doors.'<\/strong><\/h3>"},"textColor":{"id":115966352,"value":"#{text.color}"},"borderRadius":{"id":115966353,"value":"4px"},"backgroundColour":{"id":115966354,"value":"#0000"}}}],"properties":{"direction":{"id":115966334,"value":"column"},"backgroundColor":{"id":115966335,"value":"#0000"},"borderRadius":{"id":115966336,"value":"4px"},"template":{"id":115966337,"value":"video"},"padding":{"id":115966338,"value":"6"},"fullWidth":{"id":115966339,"value":"0"},"fullBackgroundColor":{"id":115966340,"value":"#fff0"},"published":{"id":115966341,"value":"1"},"conditions":{"id":115966342,"value":"[]"}}},{"id":4679091,"type":"row","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":6,"items":[{"id":4682394,"type":"pod","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":0,"items":[],"properties":{"video":{"id":116059827,"value":"41Bfd54HtUc"},"ratio":{"id":116059828,"value":"short"},"overlay":{"id":116059829,"value":"0"},"borderRadius":{"id":116059830,"value":"4px"},"overlayOpacity":{"id":116059831,"value":"0"},"overlayColourStart":{"id":116059832,"value":"#0000"},"overlayColourEnd":{"id":116059833,"value":"#0000"},"overlayDirection":{"id":116059834,"value":"90"}}},{"id":4682395,"type":"textBlock","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":1,"items":[],"properties":{"html":{"id":116059835,"value":"

'These chronic illnesses, that very few people know anything about, can have such huge impacts on your quality of life.'<\/h3>

'I have my good days where I feel amazing and it's not even in my mind, and then I have a day like today where I literally feel like crap, I'm stuck on the sofa in pain and fatigue.'<\/h3>

'Looking at me, I hope you wouldn't be able to tell that anything was seriously wrong. But inside the struggle is all too real. The daily struggle is too real.'<\/strong><\/h3>

'People say, well you don't look sick, so they just assume you're fine.'<\/strong><\/h3>"},"textColor":{"id":116059836,"value":"#{text.color}"},"borderRadius":{"id":116059837,"value":"4px"},"backgroundColour":{"id":116059838,"value":"#0000"}}}],"properties":{"backgroundColor":{"id":115966356,"value":"#0000"},"borderRadius":{"id":115966357,"value":"4px"},"padding":{"id":115966359,"value":"6"},"fullWidth":{"id":115966360,"value":"0"},"fullBackgroundColor":{"id":115966361,"value":"#fff0"},"published":{"id":115966362,"value":"1"},"conditions":{"id":115966363,"value":"[]"},"direction":{"id":116059825,"value":"column"},"template":{"id":116059826,"value":"video"}}},{"id":4679140,"type":"row","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":2,"items":[{"id":4682390,"type":"pod","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":0,"items":[],"properties":{"video":{"id":116059799,"value":"UtnKQMwWrCk"},"ratio":{"id":116059800,"value":"short"},"overlay":{"id":116059801,"value":"0"},"borderRadius":{"id":116059802,"value":"4px"},"overlayOpacity":{"id":116059803,"value":"0"},"overlayColourStart":{"id":116059804,"value":"#0000"},"overlayColourEnd":{"id":116059805,"value":"#0000"},"overlayDirection":{"id":116059806,"value":"90"}}},{"id":4682391,"type":"textBlock","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":1,"items":[],"properties":{"html":{"id":116059807,"value":"

'The hardest part has been that it's invisible, and\u00a0people can't tell how much pain I'm in,\u00a0which is something I wish others knew or understood.\u00a0'<\/strong><\/h3>

'Every day I do have pain somewhere in my body. I\u00a0don't know what pain-free is. I just don't.'<\/strong><\/h3>

'I think it's important\u00a0for people to understand that simple things hurt.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>

'A big misconception is\u00a0that EDS is only about the joint hypermobility, and it's kind of a\u00a0small part in comparison to what it's really like.'<\/strong><\/h3>

'You very rarely understand\u00a0all the comorbidities that go along with it. And being tired all the time is just draining. I'm tired of being tired.'<\/strong><\/h3>"},"textColor":{"id":116059808,"value":"#{text.color}"},"borderRadius":{"id":116059809,"value":"4px"},"backgroundColour":{"id":116059810,"value":"#0000"}}}],"properties":{"backgroundColor":{"id":115967842,"value":"#0000"},"borderRadius":{"id":115967843,"value":"4px"},"padding":{"id":115967845,"value":"6"},"fullWidth":{"id":115967846,"value":"0"},"fullBackgroundColor":{"id":115967847,"value":"#fff0"},"published":{"id":115967848,"value":"1"},"conditions":{"id":115967849,"value":"[]"},"direction":{"id":116059797,"value":"column"},"template":{"id":116059798,"value":"video"}}},{"id":4679153,"type":"row","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":8,"items":[{"id":4679154,"type":"pod","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":0,"items":[],"properties":{"video":{"id":115968258,"value":"U2Wb92LzSvc"},"ratio":{"id":115968259,"value":"short"},"overlay":{"id":115968260,"value":"0"},"borderRadius":{"id":115968261,"value":"4px"},"overlayOpacity":{"id":115968262,"value":"0"},"overlayColourStart":{"id":115968263,"value":"#0000"},"overlayColourEnd":{"id":115968264,"value":"#0000"},"overlayDirection":{"id":115968265,"value":"90"}}},{"id":4679155,"type":"textBlock","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":1,"items":[],"properties":{"html":{"id":115968266,"value":"

'You don't have to look sick to have EDS. <\/strong><\/h3>

'We're some of the most resilient people there are. We want to get out, we want to do stuff.<\/strong><\/h3>

'Telling people that they don't look sick is just incorrect - it's an invisible illness.'<\/strong><\/h3>"},"textColor":{"id":115968267,"value":"#{text.color}"},"borderRadius":{"id":115968268,"value":"4px"},"backgroundColour":{"id":115968269,"value":"#0000"}}}],"properties":{"direction":{"id":115968249,"value":"column"},"backgroundColor":{"id":115968250,"value":"#0000"},"borderRadius":{"id":115968251,"value":"4px"},"template":{"id":115968252,"value":"video"},"padding":{"id":115968253,"value":"6"},"fullWidth":{"id":115968254,"value":"0"},"fullBackgroundColor":{"id":115968255,"value":"#fff0"},"published":{"id":115968256,"value":"1"},"conditions":{"id":115968257,"value":"[]"}}},{"id":4679280,"type":"banner","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":9,"items":[],"properties":{"type":{"id":115971601,"value":"slim"},"title":{"id":115971602,"value":null},"copy":{"id":115971603,"value":null},"titleColor":{"id":115971604,"value":"#{banner.title.color}"},"titleBackground":{"id":115971605,"value":"#{banner.title.background.color}"},"copyColor":{"id":115971606,"value":"#{banner.copy.color}"},"copyBackground":{"id":115971607,"value":"#{banner.copy.background.color}"},"contentWidth":{"id":115971608,"value":"95%"},"textShadow":{"id":115971609,"value":"#{banner.text.shadow}"},"borderRadius":{"id":115971610,"value":"0px"},"buttonBorderRadius":{"id":115971611,"value":"#{button.border.radius}"},"buttonBackgroundColor":{"id":115971612,"value":"#{button.primary.color}"},"buttonStyle":{"id":115971613,"value":"secondary"},"buttonSize":{"id":115971614,"value":"standard"},"overlayOpacity":{"id":115971615,"value":"0"},"overlayColourStart":{"id":115971616,"value":"#000000"},"overlayColourEnd":{"id":115971617,"value":"#000000"},"overlayDirection":{"id":115971618,"value":"90"},"image":{"id":115971619,"value":"{\"src\":\"https:\\\/\\\/images.podos.io\\\/xephpdtebefhanzlargiike1mnxsb9ditxdvba04tbcvd0y3.png.png?w=auto&h=auto\",\"alt\":\"\"}"},"video":{"id":115971620,"value":null},"videoThumbnail":{"id":115971621,"value":null},"media":{"id":115971622,"value":"image"},"align":{"id":115971623,"value":"center"},"verticalAlignment":{"id":115971624,"value":"center"},"font":{"id":115971625,"value":"#{heading1.font}"},"actions":{"id":115971626,"value":"[{\"text\":null,\"href\":null},{\"text\":null,\"href\":null}]"},"padding":{"id":115971628,"value":"6"},"fullWidth":{"id":115971629,"value":"1"},"fullBackgroundColor":{"id":115971630,"value":"#{banner.fullBackground.color}"},"published":{"id":115971631,"value":"1"},"conditions":{"id":115971632,"value":"[]"},"template":{"id":116059839,"value":"banner"}}},{"id":4679281,"type":"textBlock","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":10,"items":[],"properties":{"html":{"id":115971633,"value":"

This website is a partnership with Teemill<\/h3>

Teemill is an ethical print-on-demand service that supplies fundraising products for the likes of Greenpeace, the RSPB, Wildlife Trusts, BBC Earth, Chris Packham and more. We have teamed up with Teemill to offer a selection of EDS-related gifts. 100% of profits<\/strong> will go into social media advertising to promote this website and educate people about living with EDS.<\/p>"},"borderRadius":{"id":115971634,"value":"#{text.border.radius}"},"textColor":{"id":115971635,"value":"#{text.color}"},"backgroundColour":{"id":115971636,"value":"#0000"},"truncateHeight":{"id":115971637,"value":null},"padding":{"id":115971639,"value":"6"},"fullWidth":{"id":115971640,"value":"0"},"fullBackgroundColor":{"id":115971641,"value":"#{text.fullBackground.color}"},"published":{"id":115971642,"value":"1"},"conditions":{"id":115971643,"value":"[]"},"template":{"id":115971849,"value":"text"}}}],"properties":{"title":{"id":115966193,"value":"Real Stories"},"isStorePage":{"id":115966194,"value":"1"},"ogImage":{"id":115966195,"value":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/delg9zsndf5cd4jxq7dx5cze1k7rvkqyugcjah0oyj25wykr.png.png?w=1200&h=auto"},"description":{"id":115966196,"value":"Real stories from real people living with EDS"}},"labels":[],"published":1,"sitemap":1,"divisionId":413924,"edited":true}