My name is Coral Stewart, and I am 18 years old and living in Ohio with my wonderful cat, Rudy. I love to be surrounded by my friends and family. I have a wonderfully big family and live near my parents, two brothers, sister-in-law, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins. I enjoy big family gatherings with lots of delicious food, where we use any excuse to celebrate and get together.

I have struggled on and off throughout my life, especially during my teen years. I have battled with Anxiety, Depression, and ADHD for many years, even battling an eating disorder known as Anorexia at 14. I am eternally grateful to the Emily Program for saving my life and helping me to live to the fullest.

After experiencing multiple mental health struggles, I was soon diagnosed with multiple chronic conditions. I have had Celiac Disease my whole life and, since then, have been diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) and Fibromyalgia. I struggle with symptoms of more and am working on receiving a diagnosis, but it is a constant battle. Trying to cope with a disabled identity while also trying to make the most of every moment is something I will have to balance for the rest of my life.

But throughout all of this, I wrote. I found poetry during these times and used it as a coping mechanism. Not just writing it, but reading it. It helped me to better process what I was going through and realize that I was not alone. No matter how hard it got, I knew that someone else in the world was feeling that way, or had felt that way. And that’s what I want to do with my books. Give those struggling a safe space to go and realize that they aren’t alone. My goal is to create a community, even if it’s small, without judgment and without shame. Everyone has a story, and they all have conflict. I hope that by reading my book, it can bring people together and maybe help them in their healing journey. So whoever you are, and whatever you’ve gone through, I’m glad you’re here.