Marc Elliot
Marc’s Important Links
Marc Elliot recently graduated from Washington University in St. Louis. His college experience resembled that of many others: he participated actively in his fraternity, played intramural sports, studied abroad, and completed all of the pre-med requirements. None of those things was particularly extraordinary—except for this fact: he did them with Tourette’s syndrome and only four feet of intestines.
Two days after Marc was born, he was diagnosed with a rare birth defect called Hirschsprung’s disease. His doctors discovered that he had no working large intestine and barely any small intestines. After seven experimental surgeries and four years of being in and out of St. Louis Children’s Hospital, Marc survived his ailments, leaving him with a strong heart and unbreakable will. However, his medical challenges did not end there. By the age of nine, Marc was diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome (TS), a neurological disorder that causes him to make involuntary motor and vocal tics.
In dealing with his personal challenges, Marc has gained uncommon insight into the power of perseverance as well as the importance of understanding other people’s differences. In addition, he has learned the value of humor and its necessity in our daily lives. These insights have given him an incredible opportunity to inspire and teach his peers and adults alike.
Over the past few years, Marc has traveled all across the country to schools of every level, from elementary to graduate school, as well as conferences, camps, non-profit organizations, and businesses. His presentation, “Don’t Judge a Book by Its Noises,” is a humorous thought-provoking program that will engage and inspire a wide range of audiences.