She’s Been in Agonizing Pain for 30 YEARS and STILL Smiles Every Day

"I told my husband he could leave—I had just been diagnosed with an incurable pain disease less than a year into our marriage… but he stayed. And that’s when I decided I was going to fight, not just for me, but for everyone like me."

On this episode of Celebrate Your Story, I sit down with Beth Stillitano, a former teacher whose life was turned upside down at just 24 years old after a seemingly minor fall led to a diagnosis of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), a rare and excruciating neurological disease often called “the suicide disease.”

Beth shares her emotional journey through years of relentless pain, misdiagnoses, and opioid dependency, and how she eventually found healing through therapy, mindfulness, and community. But her story doesn’t end with survival, it’s about purpose. Beth went on to co-found Fight the Flame, a national nonprofit supporting CRPS patients, caregivers, and medical professionals. Her mission: to make sure no one faces this invisible illness alone.

This is a story about pain, resilience, and the power of showing up for yourself, your family, and the millions who suffer in silence.