SCC Employee Shares Story of Resilience, Healing, and Support After Years of Health Challenges

For more than 20 years, Clif Young quietly navigated serious health challenges while continuing to show up each day for his work, his community, and the people around him.

Today, after years of treatment, multiple surgeries, and a long recovery process, Young says he finally feels like himself again.

“I got my life back,” he shared.

Clif Young, Workforce Development/Continuing Education Information Administrator at Southeastern Community College, was recently featured in regional media coverage highlighting his journey with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), a chronic inflammatory skin disease that can cause severe pain, mobility challenges, and emotional isolation.

While much of the public attention has focused on his medical journey and advocacy work, Young said another important part of his story has been the support system that helped him continue moving forward.

A Journey Few People Saw

For years, many people around Young had no idea how much pain he was carrying privately. As his condition progressed, daily life became increasingly difficult. Simple tasks became exhausting, and the physical challenges eventually began affecting nearly every part of his life.

“It stripped me of my dignity,” Young said.

He described the emotional toll as just as difficult as the physical pain.

“You’re dealing with humiliation, embarrassment, isolation,” he said. “The mental health aspect of it became as big as the disease.”

Young said there were seasons where he withdrew from family gatherings, avoided events, and struggled simply trying to make it through the day while continuing to work.

Still, many coworkers never heard him complain.

“What stands out the most to me about Clif’s journey is how strong he was and is to go through so much pain and suffering without missing work, without complaining, without telling anyone how bad he had it,” said Elizabeth High, Dean of Student Learning & Innovation at SCC. “He just kept going and showing up for the institution and his colleagues day after day.”

Finding Healing and Hope

After years of searching for answers and specialized care, Young eventually connected with a medical team at UNC Chapel Hill that helped change the course of his life.

Following extensive treatment and surgeries throughout 2024, he began experiencing something he had not felt in years — relief.

“I started to feel like Clif — the Clif that was here in 2003 and 2004,” he said. “I started to feel like my old self again.”

Today, he continues receiving ongoing treatment, but says the difference in his quality of life has been life-changing.

“It just gave me my life back, my freedom, my confidence, everything,” he said.

Support That Made a Difference

Young began working at SCC in 2002 as a volunteer in the science department before serving in multiple roles across campus over the years. Today, he helps oversee reporting and compliance processes connected to workforce and continuing education programs.

As his health challenges became more difficult to manage, Young said SCC leadership and coworkers stepped in with compassion, flexibility, and understanding.

“Being transparent and talking to them about this so that they knew what was going on made all the difference,” Young said.

Through support from SCC leadership and Human Resources, Young said the college worked with him on flexible scheduling and support for ongoing medical appointments and treatments.

“They showed compassion,” Young said. “They showed empathy, and they showed that the college was willing to do whatever they needed to do to help.”

“Clif’s resilience throughout this journey has been incredibly inspiring, but what stands out just as much is the way he has continued using his experience to encourage and advocate for others,” said Dr. Chris English, President of Southeastern Community College. “His strength, positivity, and advocacy work are incredibly meaningful, and I believe the support he received here reflects the caring culture we try to create for every member of the SCC family.”

For Young, the support went far beyond workplace accommodations.

“It has meant everything,” he said. “The support, not being judged, and being free to talk about it — which is something I would have never imagined even four years ago.”

That support came not only from leadership, but also from coworkers who consistently checked in, encouraged him, and stood beside him during difficult moments.

“I have worked with Clif for many years, but I only recently learned about the health challenges he’s been navigating,” said Sharon Williams, SCC Curriculum Information Administrator. “Despite everything he has faced, Clif remains the same positive, caring, and joyful person I’ve always known.”

Williams said Young’s experience serves as a reminder that many people quietly carry challenges others never see.

“Small acts of kindness can mean the world to someone facing a silent battle,” she said.

Colene Faulk, Dean of Student Services at SCC, said Young’s journey reflects both resilience and purpose.

“What stands out most about Clif’s journey is his ability to turn personal challenges into a sense of purpose,” Faulk said. “By openly sharing his story, he not only found strength and resilience but also created space for others to feel seen, heard, and supported.”

Faulk added that supporting Young during his recovery was never a question.

“Clif embodies a servant-leader’s mindset,” she said. “He leads with compassion, empathy, and a genuine desire to uplift others.”

Turning Pain Into Purpose

Today, Young has become an advocate for others living with HS through mentorship programs, awareness campaigns, and public speaking. He recently participated in interviews with CBS 17 and WebMD and continues sharing his story publicly to help others feel less alone.

“I don’t want people to feel the way I felt,” Young said. “There’s no need to feel bad for something that you don’t have any control over.”

Since sharing his story publicly, several individuals from Columbus County have reached out to him directly seeking encouragement and support. His long-term goal is to help establish a local support network for individuals living with HS in rural communities.

“I thought I was the only one,” Young said, recalling what many people have told him after hearing his story.

Young hopes his story encourages others facing difficult seasons to continue advocating for themselves and to lean on the people around them.

“Don’t give up,” he said. “Stand firm.”

At SCC, Young said he found more than a workplace. He found people willing to walk beside him through one of the most difficult seasons of his life.

And now, with renewed health and perspective, he hopes others know they do not have to face their challenges alone either.