Emunah Block’s Story

April 9th, 2026, Emunah Block

What’s your name? What illnesses do you have?

Hi, my name is Emunah and I’m 17 years old. I have Celiac disease, diabetes, chronic migraines, intracranial pressure, and asthma. I was diagnosed with chronic migraines, intracranial pressure, and diabetes in 2023, and Celiac disease in 2021.

What do you wish that people understood about your illness?

I wish people knew just how much of my life is controlled by my illnesses. I don’t make it to school all the time, I can’t make it to a lot of social events, I can’t do daily tasks that would seem so simple to someone who was completely healthy.

I wish more people knew that although my illnesses stops me sometimes, it’s only a pause. I’ll get back up again. I also wish people knew how hard and isolating it is to watch others go have fun and I can’t go with because I always need to be thinking about my health, if I’ll overdo it, or if I need to go home early from something because its that severe.

How does your illness affect your daily life?

Chronic migraines and intracranial pressure cause me to be in pain 24/7 although not always the same severity. I am often light and noise sensitive with these headaches too. Celiac causes me to think about ingredients in food and make decisions every time I eat. I have to ask myself “could there be cross contamination” “what is the risk in this food” “is it made separately” “is it safe for me to eat” and it gets exhausting. I get tired of reading labels, double checking ingredients, all that.

Diabetes causes the need to make decisions much more often, especially regarding eating. It also causes me to be extra self conscious about my body, particularly considering the stereotypes regarding type 2 diabetes.