A Mission teenager who suffers from a chronic illness has been told she can鈥檛 attend her prom because she has missed too many classes.

Triss Hunter, a Grade 11 student at Mission Secondary School, says she has missed about 100 days of school, but not because she skips out or tries to ditch class.

Hunter has a condition called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. It鈥檚 a disorder that affects the connective tissues supporting the skin, bones and blood vessels.

According to Hunter, the condition causes chronic pain and dislocations that can occur at any time.

Last week, she found out that ll of those absences were the reason she will not be permitted to go to prom.

Hunter and her mother Sarah don鈥檛 think the decision is fair.

鈥淢y grades are not perfect, because I do miss a lot of school. But I鈥檓 getting passing grades. I鈥檓 passing all my classes, but for prom, it鈥檚 just the attendance,鈥� Triss said.

Although she is in Grade 11, Triss said this is her last year at Mission Secondary so she applied to go to the prom, along with her friend Isaiah.

After filling out the paperwork, Triss says her application was denied by the school principal.

She and her mom appealed, talking to the principal, but the school did not change its mind.

Then she took her case to the Mission school board, but found out yesterday that the board had sided with the school.

Triss said the situation isn鈥檛 fair and wonders if she was supposed to miss her therapy sessions and doctor鈥檚 appointments.

鈥淚s school more important than my health?鈥� she asks.

Triss said the school indicated that most of her absences were unexcused 鈥� which usually means no one phoned in to inform the school or no doctor鈥檚 notes were provided.

But Triss says she doesn鈥檛 know ahead of time that she is going to suffer an attack.

鈥淭here are sometimes when I miss weeks of school or even a month. Or there are some days when I can go to school for one class then the pain gets so bad that I can鈥檛 go to the rest of my classes.

鈥淎ll my teachers are supportive. They know I have a disability 鈥� they see me every day. They know my struggle, but because the school board and everyone else doesn鈥檛 see it 鈥� it鈥檚 inside of me and you can鈥檛 really see it on the outside 鈥� they think it鈥檚 all in my head.鈥�

When she does attend school, Triss always brings her service dog, Meadow.

鈥淪he has been trained for anxiety and mobility issues.鈥�

Triss鈥� mother, Sarah, says the events of the last few weeks have taken a toll on her daughter.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really tough what she鈥檚 going through and it鈥檚 making her anxieties worse.鈥�

Sarah is still hopeful that the situation can be resolved, but the prom is just a week away, May 12, and time is running out.

鈥淪he has already bought her outfit. It鈥檚 sad that she can鈥檛 go,鈥� Sarah said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 like they are punishing her 鈥︹��

鈥淔or having a disability,鈥� says Triss, finishing her mom鈥檚 sentence.

When asked for comment, Mission superintendent of schools, Angus Wilson, said he could not discuss individual students.

However, he can say that parents and students are 鈥渁ll very aware of the criteria鈥� to attend prom.

鈥淭hey are given many opportunities to resolve concerns and situations,鈥� Wilson said.

He added that, as far as attendance is concerned, parents or students 鈥渉ave a number of weeks鈥� to call in to explain and excuse attendance issues.

鈥淭he school is very flexible about making allowances and making accommodations and ways to resolve concerns and so on,鈥� said Wilson, adding both sides have to work together in these situations.

Wilson also said the 鈥減riority for prom, of course, is Grade 12 students.鈥�