Julie Cirillo

Julie Cirillo is a nurse, patient advocate, and member of the Nutcracker Syndrome Association Leadership Committee. She lives with complex vascular and gastrointestinal conditions, including Nutcracker Syndrome and Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome, and brings a deeply personal perspective shaped by years of navigating rare disease diagnosis, treatment, and recovery.

 

Julie’s journey has included prolonged medical uncertainty, significant weight loss, complex surgical care, and periods of serious neurologic symptoms that have added another layer of complexity to her health. Navigating overlapping conditions across multiple specialties~and being repeatedly dismissed before receiving answers~has profoundly shaped her understanding of how isolating rare illness can be.

 

These experiences have fueled Julie’s passion for patient advocacy, education, and improving support systems for individuals living with rare and often misunderstood conditions.

 

With a clinical background in nursing and firsthand experience as a patient, Julie is especially focused on bridging the gap between medical knowledge and lived reality. She is committed to helping patients feel seen, believed, and supported, and to contributing to initiatives that improve awareness, physician education, and patient resources within the Nutcracker Syndrome community.

 

Julie is honored to be part of the NCSA Leadership Committee and looks forward to supporting work that empowers patients and strengthens the rare disease community.