Awareness Initiatives
We elevate initiatives that advance understanding and raise awareness about our poorly-understood conditions. We are proud to support the award-winning film COMPLICATED, co-produced by our coalition member, Donna Sullivan.
Film: COMPLICATED
Producer/Director/DP Andrew Abrahams | Co-Producer Donna Sullivan
Editor Alex Albers | Executive Producers Tracy Finnegan &
Charlotte Deering McCormick
From Open Eye Pictures: Filmed over seven years, this unflinching documentary explores the complicated journeys of young people with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), a little-known connective tissue disorder that is far more common than most realize. Ranging from mild to life-threatening, EDS is often invisible, and the lack of research and awareness leads to medical gaslighting: withheld treatments, insurance denials, and families are torn apart.
In a healthcare system under intense scrutiny, COMPLICATED pulls back the curtain on a hidden world of suffering and resilience. It highlights courageous young people fighting for their lives, mothers risking everything to protect them, and a system that too often turns a blind eye. Amid this struggle, a spark of hope emerges—as patients become their own advocates, researching potential tests and treatments that could change their lives, and possibly the future of medicine.
​
CW: This film contains depictions of medical trauma; death due to medical complications with rare conditions; family separation
(2025, 85 min.)
The information on this website is for general educational purposes only and is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It is also not intended to serve as legal advice or replace professional legal counsel. We do our best to keep information accurate and up to date, but science and medicine change quickly and the content here may not reflect the latest guidance or apply to every individual. Please do not rely on this site to make medical or legal decisions. References or links to external resources, organizations, products, or services are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute endorsement or recommendation.