After being diagnosed with Rett Syndrome at the age of three, a rare neurological disorder that impairs her ability to speak and move, Emily has explored various ways to express her creativity and stay involved in the community. She has been involved with the “Patient as Teachers” program at Penn State College of Medicine since 2010, where she taught first-year medical students about her life with a chronic illness. Using Tobii, an eye-tracking communication device, Emily controls a cursor with her eye movements to convey her thoughts and to paint dynamic abstract pieces. She is now using her artwork to raise awareness about Rett Syndrome, by selling her paintings to raise funds for research for the Rett Syndrome Research Trust.