Cristina Curp, the daughter of Cuban immigrants, grew up in Miami navigating the challenges of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). By her teens she was living with stage III disease, enduring painful lesions on her inner thighs, groin, underarms, under breasts, and even her head and back. After the birth of her son, her HS worsened dramatically. As a military spouse, she found little support within the Tricare healthcare system, leaving her to manage a devastating illness largely on her own.
Turning to the kitchen as both a chef and patient, Cristina discovered how nutrition could support her body and ultimately brought her HS into remission. For more than a decade, she shared her expertise to help others living with HS and metabolic syndrome find tools for healing. Today, as the Chief Operating Officer of HS Connect, Cristina has transformed her pain into purpose, working at scale to build awareness, advocacy, and support for people worldwide. Back in Miami, she continues to witness how HS impacts her community populations, fueling her passion to make sure no one living with HS has to feel invisible or alone.
Team Tidbit: I’m one of 3 sisters, and the left handed middle child. Boy mom + dog mom. Fluent in Spanish and I love to dance — I also wrote 2 best selling cookbooks!