It wasn’t until Daniella Akellot was 28 years old that she found a name for the invisible thing that she felt had always made her different. Akellot was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a group of rare conditions that affect the connective tissues that support the skin, tendons and internal organs. 

Akellot tells Africa Science Focus that, as a young African woman, she has struggled at times to be taken seriously as a scientist. Despite this, she’s now research coordinator at the specialist CoRSU rehabilitation hospital in Uganda, where she is investigating poorly understood conditions to help children with disabilities overcome stigma. 

 Africa Science Focus, with Michael Kaloki. 

 Learn more about Daniella Akellot’s career

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