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Wash U. alum uses his condition to teach others
(by Caitlin Campbell - September 02, 2009)
“I just want to let you know, I have something called Tourette’s syndrome, and it causes me to make noises and say some things that I can’t help. I’m sorry if it bothers you. I promise, it bothers me more.”
This is the way that Marc Elliot, a Washington University alumnus and St. Louis native, introduces himself to those he meets to help them understand his condition. He travels throughout the country preaching tolerance and encouraging others to accept those with differences.
Irritating sensations constantly plague Elliot, and he feels an omnipresent itch that compels Elliot to say a word or make a noise he otherwise wouldn’t. Obsession revolves around a word unless that word — often socially inappropriate or offensive — leaps from his lips. Once said, the itch has been scratched and Elliot feels relief. That is, until another word arrives to exasperate Elliot further.
“I can’t control the itches that I have,” he says. “My Tourette’s syndrome combined with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder forces me to fixate over a word until I say it. I usually can regulate when I’m going to scratch, but I definitely know that I will scratch it at some point.”
In a roundabout way, Tourette’s provided the initial spark for Elliot’s public speaking career. “In 10th grade drama class, we consistently made our teacher furious from goofing around, so she required us all to teach a five-minute presentation, and I gave my presentation on Tourette’s.”
Elliot enjoyed the experience so much that he began to visit other high schools in the St. Louis area to talk about the syndrome. Elliot found a balance between theater and his craving to help people through his speeches. Wherever he speaks, Elliot encourages his audiences to embrace tolerance by acknowledging the beauty of individuals and their differences.
Even though Elliot overcame many challenges, he still encounters tough situations, especially at the airport. Once at a security checkpoint, the irritating sensation provoked a desire to say something inappropriate. What is the most inappropriate thing one could say at an airport? “Bomb,” of course. As the itch ensued and became more and more aggravating, Elliot couldn’t deny the urge to scratch it anymore, resulting in him getting searched.
When Elliot goes to see a play, he stuffs a washcloth in his mouth so as not to disturb the performers and patrons with his noises. He does this out of respect for those around him.
That respect is rarely returned to him. A particularly shocking instance occurred at a Wendy’s restaurant when Elliot, standing in line, began making noises due to his disorder, and as usual turned to the woman next to him and apologized for the disturbance. He explained to her that he has Tourette’s syndrome. She just laughed and announced, “Don’t worry everyone. He’s retarded.”
But Elliot remains positive, explaining, “It would be wrong for me to be mad at people who don’t understand. There have been a lot of instances in which my friends would get furious seeing how I was treated sometimes, and I just tell them, ‘It’s OK, don’t worry about it.’”
It is instances like these that fuel Elliot to continue his work across the country. Originally Elliot had planned to only take a year off after college to tour the country with his speech, “Don’t Judge a Book by its Noises,” before returning to medical school. However, Elliot found his niche, and he plans to turn his tour into a business.
“Elliot’s a phenomenal speaker. His message of tolerance, combined with his ability to make the subject matter fun, really shows how impressive he is,” says Steve Della Camera, chair of the Great Issues Committee at St. Louis University, where Elliot recently spoke.
So far, Elliot has been equally elated with his career.
“This has been such an absolutely overwhelming experience and my audiences do nothing but empower and inspire me to continue my efforts as an inspirational speaker,” he said. “I’m putting an important message out there, and it’s being embraced.”
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