Woman, 19, Entertained Social Media with Bagpipe Videos. Now, She’s Stopped Playing Due to a Chronic Illness (Exclusive)

Katie Robertson, a 19-year-old from Carnoustie, Scotland, has garnered a following on social media under the nickname The Wheeled Piper. Despite her chronic health issues, Robertson has used music, particularly the bagpipes, as a source of solace and expression. However, a recent diagnosis has forced her to put aside her passion for piping.

Katie’s journey with chronic illness began at a young age. Diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis when she was just 4, she faced many health challenges as she grew older. By the time she reached 6, she had also been diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, a serious inflammatory bowel condition. At 7, her life changed further when she developed Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), a neurological disorder that led her to use a wheelchair.

As she continued to navigate her health, Katie was diagnosed with scoliosis at 13. This complicated matter further led to a spinal fusion surgery in 2021. During this procedure, doctors discovered she also had Chiari malformation, a condition where brain tissue extends into the spinal canal. In 2022, her health took another turn when she began experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms, such as severe pain linked to food intolerances.

“By August 2023, I couldn’t eat anything without such severe pain that I had to call an ambulance,” Katie recounted. Her alarming symptoms, including extreme bloating and chest pain, initially led medical professionals to misdiagnose her as having a heart attack. Once admitted to the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital, doctors struggled to pinpoint the cause of her distressing symptoms.

In December 2025, while home, Katie noticed a concerning change in her heart rate. An old Apple Watch app revealed that her heart rate surged whenever she transitioned from sitting or lying down to standing. This discovery led to a diagnosis of POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome), a condition characterised by an abnormally fast heart rate triggered by changes in posture. Although there is no definitive cure, symptoms can be managed through medication and lifestyle adjustments.

Reflecting on her experiences, Katie realised that her POTS symptoms might have been present earlier, particularly when she was piping. “I would feel my heart racing abnormally and would shake so much that I would struggle to play,” she explained, attributing this to the exhaustion from her underlying gastro issues.

Currently, her situation has left her frustrated as she faces challenges in accessing appropriate specialists in Scotland for her POTS. With limited options, she expressed her desire to be referred to a specialist through the NHS, the UK’s public healthcare service. Notably, she has been unable to play the bagpipes since her diagnosis, a situation that has left her heartbroken.

Katie first discovered her love for piping during her school years, during which she took up chanter lessons secretly in place of a history class. Due to her limitations from arthritis, she adjusted her technique, employing a unique way to hold the instrument. Despite these challenges, she excelled, eventually advancing to the “great Highland bagpipe.” For her, piping transcended mere musical interest; it became a vital component of her identity amidst a backdrop of medical appointments and hospital visits.

In an effort to raise funds for her medical expenses and an upcoming album titled “Symbolism”, Katie initiated a GoFundMe campaign. She described how piping had become “the best medicine” during her health struggles. “My chanter became my unpaid therapist,” she wrote, with performance serving as a much-needed distraction from her challenges.

When Katie began sharing videos of her performances online, she found a community she had previously thought inaccessible to her. Growing up with a disability, she often felt isolated due to how others perceived her, but social media became a platform where she could connect with others who understood her journey. The response to her music was overwhelming, as she now engages with followers who appreciate her talent regardless of her circumstances.

Before her POTS diagnosis, Katie also busked in Dundee, earning money to support her musical passion while simultaneously challenging societal perceptions surrounding disability. “People would comment on ‘the piper,’ only realising I was in a wheelchair as they approached. The music mattered first and foremost,” she shared.

Currently confined to her home due to her health conditions, Katie remains resolute in her ambitions. She dreams of returning to the bagpipes and aims to complete her education, aspiring to audition for a piping degree at Glasgow’s Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. “If there’s anything I’ve learned from my health battles, it’s that I should do what I enjoy while I can, and that’s music full-time,” she asserted with determination. Katie Robertson’s story is a testament to resilience in the face of adversity and the healing power of music.