“That’s beautiful” seems to be the mantra of young Shannon Strader, 20, who I was lucky enough to sit down to coffee with and talk about her remarkable life. All of her experiences have led her to start Bella Soul, the nation’s first organization specifically for college students dealing with physical disease.
Born in Metamora, Illinois, the doctor’s office is not an unfamiliar place for Shannon. She was born with a twin who lost her battle with cerebral palsy when the girls were only 8. Although she and her parents were unaware, Shannon had also been facing health problems since birth. As a senior in high school she had already been to a dozen doctors and had been misdiagnosed almost too many times to count. It wasn’t until visiting her fourth specialist that she was finally diagnosed with posterior nutcracker syndrome, an almost unheard-of disease where the renal vein is behind the abdominal aorta rather than in front, causing compression on the vein, leading to severe abdominal pain and internal bleeding.
Although told by doctors that she shouldn’t even be in school, Shannon has spent her entire life dancing. She has even been a member of two different ballet companies and a hip-hop dance company. She is now in her third year as a Badger, and loving it. As a neurobiology and regenerative medicine major, she hopes to one-day work with stem cell research.
Recently, Shannon has been working to establish the first national organization for college students who are fighting the battle with physical ailments and disease. The name Bella Soul has special meaning to Shannon, who’s nickname as a young girl was Bella. She says that it is most important to have a beautiful soul, because at any moment someone can lose his or her body and then beauty on the outside will mean nothing.
Supported by her best friends, Shannon hopes for Bella Soul to become an official non-profit in collaboration with other similar organizations. Students with similar diseases will be able communication with each other and share their experiences, ultimately making it clear that they aren’t alone—there is someone out there who truly understands.
Bella Soul’s website will be featuring a different disease each month, along with a spotlight student who has the disease. There they will be able to share their story along with different ways they have adapted to life with the disease. The site also offers recipe options and even scholarships available to people with physical ailments of all kinds. Bella Soul will be expanding to other college campuses such as Marquette and the University if Illinois as well, eventually being nationwide.
For more information about Shannon’s story, Bella Soul, or how you can get involved, please contact:
Shannon Strader (founder): sstrader@wisc.edu
livebellasoul.com
facebook.com/livebellasoul
twitter.com/livebellasoul