Megan said sometimes people look frightened when they see her shake. She has begun to see this response as normal for people who are experiencing something new and unknown. She has discovered that laughing at herself and her tremor is often the best way to make a connection with these people and lessen their fear, opening them up to education about her condition.

She knows she is not alone in her battle against ET. It has brought her closer to her relatives who have it, and she is grateful to connect with people who truly understand.

Megan knows there are tasks that she cannot do or that she finds challenging, but she has learned she is nimbler than she realizes. And while she may not be dexterous when it comes to her hands, she possesses mental dexterity. This has allowed her to find alternative ways to participate in activities and to discover workarounds.

Living in the moment is important to Megan, but she also has hope for the future – hope for research leading to improved treatment for ET.

“My tremor reminds me to both hold on to hope for tomorrow, and also to appreciate my body and its capabilities today,” she said.

A friend of Megan’s once said to her “we all have something” when Megan talked about her ET. Those words stuck with Megan and are one of the reasons why she is majoring in public administration at the University of North Carolina. The coursework prepares students to be leaders who can put policy into practice and serve the public interest.