Karen Del Vecchio,  —

An avid equestrian and educator based in Virginia, Karen Del Vecchio was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome in 2009 after years searching for a diagnosis that explained her symptoms. Since her diagnosis at the Johns Hopkins Connective Tissues Disorder Clinic, she has worked to find ways to manage her symptoms while still maintaining an active lifestyle. Karen enjoys working with her students, riding and caring for her two horses, Cherry and Spotty, and connecting with others in the rare disease community through her writing.

Articles by Karen Del Vecchio

Bert the pig reminds me to worry not about tomorrow

The past couple weeks have been cold and stressful, so I needed a bit of a pick-me-up. I turned to a television show I hadn’t watched in a while called “The Wizard of Paws,” which follows orthotist Derrick Campana as he makes prosthetic limbs, braces, and carts for animals in…

Learning new ways to manage EDS in cold weather

It’s been really cold here in Virginia recently. I’m a New Englander at heart, so I really don’t mind the cold weather, but down here in the South, life isn’t set up for the kind of temperatures we’ve been having, and definitely not for snow. It’s been a struggle for…