Florida woman brings awareness to rare disease after enduring 4 years of pain before proper diagnosis

ORLANDO, Fla. - Meet Taylor Tennant. For as long as she can remember, she lived to perform. A singer, dancer, and actress, she brought stories to life on stage at Universal Studios, captivating audiences with every move.

But four years ago, a nightmare began – one that would force her off the stage and into a world of endless pain.

What they're saying:

"I had been sick for four years. We went to different doctors, tried different procedures, but nothing helped. My pain was always at a ‘10’ or beyond. It was something I called "the carousel of pain" one day in the front, the next in the back, sometimes circling my entire body. And, no one could tell me why," Tennant said.

Tennant said some doctors dismissed her symptoms.

Some thought it was in her head. But inside her body, something was happening, something almost no one was looking for.

"I got to a point where I couldn’t keep food down. Even water would come back up. I lost so much weight. I lost my strength. I lost… me," Tennant said.

But then, during one of her many hospital stays, one doctor saw something others had missed. A vascular condition so rare that even other specialists had never encountered it.

"A doctor finally said, ‘I think I know what this is.’ He described MALS, this condition where a ligament crushes an artery, cutting off blood to my stomach. I looked at my mom and said, ‘That’s not humanly possible.’ But it was," Tennant said.

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 It’s called Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome or MALS. The only cure? Surgery, and for Tennant, it was her last hope.

"When I first met her, I saw the desperation, the depression. This had taken over her life. She had so many dreams, and I watched them get crushed over four years. But I knew we had to fight for her," said Dr. Joseph Ibrahim, Orlando Health Surgeon.

The surgery was a success. Within weeks, Tennant could eat without pain. 

Within months, she was regaining her strength.

"I started physical therapy just a few weeks later. After 12 weeks, I was lifting 50 pounds – more than I could before I got sick! I’m dancing again. I’m singing again. I’m living again," Tennant said.

Tennant is stronger than ever, training to return to the stage. But her story isn’t just about survival – it’s about awareness.

"We need to get the word out. If doctors aren’t looking for this, they won’t find it. And that means more patients suffering for years, undiagnosed," Dr. Ibrahim said. 

"Dr. Ibrahim saved my life. He gave me my future back. And now, I want to help others find theirs," Tennant said.