The Dancer Who Learned to Stand Still
- Millie Bridger
- Nov 7, 2025
- 4 min read
Adapted from my speech for Move Momentum Dance Company’s Inclusive Summer Camp 2024
In summer 2024, I was invited to speak at Move Momentum Dance Company’s Inclusive Dance Camp. I wanted to share my story, not just of losing dance, but of learning to find movement, meaning, and joy in new ways. This piece reflects what I spoke about that day: how stillness taught me resilience, and how happiness can return, even after everything changes.
Before Everything Changed
Before chronic illness reshaped my world, dancing was everything to me, my sanctuary, my identity, and my greatest passion. It offered not only an escape from daily stress but the incredible gift of connection with others. Dance was how I made sense of the world and of myself within it.
From an early age, I trained rigorously at conservatoires such as London Studio Centre and Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts. Like many dancers, I grew up believing that pain was progress and exhaustion meant dedication. I pushed my body relentlessly, unaware that the symptoms I experienced every day were far from normal.
The Collapse That Changed Everything
Everything shifted during a ballet class when I suddenly collapsed. I woke up disoriented and frightened in the resuscitation unit of a hospital. That moment marked the beginning of a long and difficult journey toward a diagnosis that would profoundly alter my life.
After countless hospital admissions, major surgeries, and long stays in intensive care, my dream of a professional dance career slowly slipped away. I was devastated, grieving deeply for the life I had imagined.
Eventually, I was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), a connective tissue disorder that affects every part of the body. This was followed by further diagnoses, including gastroparesis, intestinal dysfunction, and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (PoTS). Despite the devastation of this news, I felt immense relief. After years of confusion and disbelief, I finally had an answer, and with it, validation.
Living in a New Rhythm
Life now means navigating severe pain, fatigue, nausea, dizziness, and frequent hospital stays. Because my digestive system is paralysed, I spend around 22 hours a day connected to a medical pump that delivers artificial nutrition, medication, and hydration through tubes.
It’s a challenging reality; some days, simply getting out of bed feels like an achievement. Yet amid these struggles, I’ve learned something powerful: happiness can exist even in the darkest places.
The smallest joys now carry enormous meaning: the light of a sunrise, the scent of flowers, quiet moments with loved ones, and time spent with Ralph, my dachshund and emotional support dog. Ralph and I volunteer together, visiting children’s hospices, SEN schools, hospitals, and care homes. Watching him comfort people during their hardest moments is deeply moving.
I’ll never forget one visit where Ralph lay beside a seriously ill child, her fragile hand resting gently on his back. For that moment, she smiled, a genuine, radiant smile that filled the room. It reminded me how powerful kindness and connection can be.
Finding Purpose Beyond Dance
After losing my dance career, I found a new sense of purpose through advocacy and community. Joining Ehlers-Danlos Support UK as a Volunteer Area Coordinator was a turning point. I began hosting support groups where people could share their fears, hopes, and everyday challenges.
These groups grew into communities built on empathy, laughter, and understanding, reminding each of us that despite illness, joy and resilience are still possible. I’ve since created my own independent support group, open to anyone living with a chronic health condition, because you shouldn’t need a diagnosis to feel heard.
That passion inspired me to create milliebridger.com, a platform dedicated to supporting others through chronic illness with practical advice, emotional support, and advocacy. Through my biweekly help guides, including My Chronic Illness Toolkit, I share what I’ve learned to help others find meaning and confidence in their own journeys.
Reclaiming Visibility and Voice
