Youth Voices Contest Winner & Honorable Mentions

At Miles for Migraine, we were deeply moved by every story shared through our Youth Voices Contest: Life with Migraine. Thank you to all the incredible young people (ages 8–17) who bravely let us into a day in their lives with migraine — their artwork, writing, and poetry gave us insight, hope, and inspiration.

We are honored to announce our Grand Prize Contest Winner, who will join us (and a parent) in Miami for our Walk/Run/Relax event, as well as recognize several honorable mentions whose voices deserve to be celebrated.

Grand Prize Contest Winner

Isabella, Age 17, from Ohio
Submission Type: Artwork

Isabella’s work stood out for its emotional honesty, compelling visuals, originality, and creativity. Through her work, she displays the spectrum and depths of having an invisible disease —she makes migraine symptoms, emotions, and resiliance all visible through her artwork.

“I drew this self-portrait depicting what I look like during a migraine because I wanted to illustrate how it feels to me. I often put my hands on my face in this way during a severe migraine attack. My hope with this piece is that others may relate to this feeling or gain a new understanding of how migraines can impact children and teens.”

“Through this painting, I want to capture resilience by showing that, despite living in almost constant pain, I don’t suffer. Resilience is what lets me wake up every morning filled with acceptance and hope. I wanted to illustrate this feeling in my piece. Quiet resilience can be undetectable at a glance, like the girl painted in the willow tree. This painting represents the resilience of those who have migraines who refuse to break in the face of pain. Like the willow tree, they bend. When looking at this painting, I want others to be reminded of their strength when it comes to facing migraines.”

“This is a self-portrait depicting the weight of experiencing headache disorders. For me, the emotional burden that comes with my migraines can be overwhelming at times. I wanted to illustrate the emotional impact of migraines. When someone looks at this portrait, I hope they feel like they are not alone if they are struggling with their mental health due to migraines.”

“This artwork depicts one of the physical symptoms I have during severe migraines, uncontrollably shaking hands. It is very noticeable to other people who will make comments about it. When it first started happening when I was younger, it scared me a lot, but I’ve gotten used to it over time. This piece illustrates how it feels when I’m looking down at my shaking hands during a migraine. When someone looks at this work, I hope they feel less alone when dealing with the symptoms that come with migraines.

Honorable Mentions

We are so proud of these young creators, whose work moved us deeply. Their entries were powerful, authentic, and inspiring in their own unique ways.

Silver Linings & Hope

Emotional Connection

Message & Awareness

Story Telling

Each of these submissions gave us a window into the world of a young person living with migraine — the challenges, the coping, the unexpected silver linings, and the strength. We celebrate you.

Why Giving Our Youth a Voice Matters

• Breaking the Silence: Migraine isn’t just a “grown-up problem.” These young voices are proof that migraine impacts lives even in childhood — and their perspective is essential.

• Increasing Awareness: Through expressive mediums like art and writing, they help the broader community understand not just the pain, but also the humanity behind migraine.

• Building Resilience: Many entries highlighted coping strategies, moments of light, or wishes for understanding — giving hope to others in the community.

• Advocacy in Action: By telling their stories, these young people are already being advocates for change. Their work helps reduce stigma and raises visibility for migraine in youth.

Thank You

To every young person who participated: you made this contest extraordinary. Your bravery, creativity, and honesty will drive awareness, support, and change in the migraine community. You are seen. You are heard. And you matter.

Celebrating youth in migraine advocacy is more than a contest — it’s a commitment to community, understanding, and future change.

Again, congratulations to Isabella, our contest winner, and all of our honorable mentions. Thank you for sharing your light, your pain, and your power. You inspire us — and you’re changing the world, one story at a time.

• For more ways to support young people with migraine, check out our Teen Talks program.