Hear the Real Stories Behind the Installation
This installation is not just about data—it’s about the real people behind the statistics.
"I remember being thankful I didn't have anything in the apartment to take my life because I didn't think I had the will power to resist utilizing it. And as much as I wanted the attack to end, I didn't want my life to end."
Heidi B.
“My days consisted of medication, insurance battles, ER visits and hospitalizations.”
Mirabella M
"It's important to have people around you who understand. You need a team."
Melissa F
"I had migraine my whole life but I just didn't know it until way later until residency."
Dr. C
"I began withdrawing from family and friends and really suffering in silence."
Brandi U
"I developed pediatric migraine at age 8... I am able to both sympathize and empathize with my patients and so I've been inspired to pursue a career in headache medicine."
Dr. W
"We almost lost my son."
Blynda K
"I have tried over 70 different medications to treat my migraine disease."
Jill D
"The doctors were giving with opioids and I got hooked on those... nothing was working anymore. I couldn't cope with the pain."
Joe M
"New Daily Persistent Headache completely put me to a halt. It's impacted relationship, friendships, every aspect of my life."
Joey M
"I experienced my first migraine in kindergarten and was formally diagnosed in 3rd grade."
Madeline E
"I had to miss out on a ton of stuff like family gatherings, weddings, just so many big events in my life."
Wesley K
"...it was like being poked in the eye with an ice pick every day for months. I couldn't work. I couldn't go to school."
Tom S
Susan K
"There is a very high suicide rate because there are not a lot of treatments."
Bob W
Mary H
Make Art, Make Headache Visible
2025 Art Contest
“Make Art, Make Headache Visible” is an initiative by The Headache Alliance (THA) to raise awareness and funding for research, prevention, and treatment of debilitating headache disorders — which impact more than 40 million Americans per year, often starting in their high school years — through art.
In its inaugural year, THA’s “Make Art, Make Headache Visible” invited high school students to submit art inspired by its mission across a wide range of genres — visual (2D) or writing (short story, essay, or poem- max words 500) — to be featured alongside a massive installation of purple flags on the National Mall and on the THA website, emails, and social media channels in June 2025.
