All about Sharon Marie Elliott
Hello and thank you for the opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Sharon Elliott. My credentials include a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering, MBA in Marketing, Finance, and Entrepreneurship. I also am a Real Estate Broker and an Actress.
Unfortunately, I had to leave my corporate profession early on due to my diagnosis in 1999, and symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). As a result, I founded a not for profit organization in 2003 called Women Standing in the Gap (WSITG), to Educate, Encourage, Inspire, Motivate and Uplift people affected by Multiple Sclerosis and other chronic illnesses. This includes the person diagnosed with the health challenge, their family, friends, and the community. We are standing in the gap to ease the transition of the initial diagnoses and to help people cope and deal with their day-to-day health challenges.
Women Standing In The Gap (WSITG) was inspired by my own personal challenges. I was diagnosed during the prime of my life while working full time at a company that I had been with for 7 years. I was looking forward to fully utilizing my MBA degree in the corporate world. However, shortly after my official diagnosis my health challenges drastically changed my life. I could no longer perform my job due to excruciating pain and numbness; and medication, which made me extremely groggy. Thus, my focus changed. I had to undertake a new career, managing the MS.
I have been through so much with this health challenge, mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually etc., that I feel compelled to share my experiences with others and help those who are going through as well. I realize that people do not understand the issues that a person with a health challenge faces, and thus the person is misunderstood, especially when the symptoms are invisible. Through my journey, the Lord has given me several tests for my testimonies.
In the midst of it all, it has been placed in my heart to take WSITG in another direction. Therefore, I have been using my God given gifts and talents to tell my story. I am the writer, producer, and one of the actresses in a show with Monologues about MS. This will be followed by a play about MS. These productions will tell my life story, and showcase the ups and downs of health challenges. It reveals the emotional, physical, and mental aspects that people endure when faced with life obstacles. The show exemplifies principles of Love, Hope, Determination…, which may be applied to our daily lives.
Moreover, I have been acting since the 90s and have had lead roles in various commercials, plays, and industrial films; have hosted a television show; and currently, am one of the stars in a webisode called “Out Of The Blue”. (Episodes and the trailer can be viewed on line at www.outofthebluesoap.com. Scroll down to view the episodes. (I am in episodes 1-7). They can also be seen at www.youtube.com/ootbsoap) I play the character of Nadia.
I am so excited about the My Story Production and look forward to Educating, Encouraging, Inspiring, Motivating and Uplifting people affected by Multiple Sclerosis and other chronic illnesses.
Thanks for your support!
Sharon Elliott
Founder & Executive Director
Women Standing In The Gap
312-375-1717
