What is "Behind the Smile?"

Behind the Smile is a platform for individuals who have overcome or are currently fighting a chronic illness. Chronic illnesses are debilitating, life-changing, and most of the time invisible. Those with chronic illnesses know that from being able to complete many activities, participate in extracurriculars, and simply enjoy life to facing daily painful symptoms along with grief and discomfort can be challenging.  Through this website, overcomers as well as fighters will be able to share their stories in order to inspire each other and individuals throughout the world to continue their fight to freedom and pure health. The main reason I chose the name "Behind the Smile" is because many people who are fighting an invisible illnesses typically don't look "sick" from their outward appearance. Chronic invisible illnesses generally occur internally; therefore, most chronic fighters look perfectly fine to the general public. The phrase "Behind the Smile" refers to the smile that each person who is battling a chronic illness puts on their faces each day. I advocate for chronic/invisible illnesses so that more and more people throughout society realize that no one truly knows what each person is going through. I hope that through this platform, society will learn how chronic illnesses affect a person's life and understand that they are generally hidden behind one's smile. I strongly believe that no one should ever judge another individual based on their outward appearance, because the outside is not always the whole story.