Elaine has a knack for performing that takes the focus off the personal drama she's played out since birth. Elaine has cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder which causes the body to produce thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs and pancreas.
Life is a constant struggle to breathe and to keep lunch infections and digestive problems at bay.
Elaine requires daily percussion treatments for about 20 minutes three times a day when she's doing well, and as often as every four hours when she is ill. The rythmic pounding over different areas of the lungs helps to clear the mucus. In addition, intestinal mucus creates an inability to absorb calories and nutrients, so keeping weight on is rough. That wasn't always the case. Five years ago, she could not walk though a grocery store without drawing stares, she was so thin.