“The true strength of the American family finds its roots in an unwavering commitment to care for one another.” – President Barack Obama November is National Family Caregivers Month, “a time to thank, support, educate and empower family caregivers.” There are more than 65 million family caregivers in the US who day in and day… Continue reading Giving Caregivers the Recognition They Deserve
Category: ALS
It’s the Season for Seasonal Affective Disorder
Now that daylight savings time has ended, the days are shorter, and before you know it, it’s nightfall. Has this affected your mood? Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), also known as seasonal depression, is a condition marked by a period of depression that occurs during the same season year after year. In most cases, that season… Continue reading It’s the Season for Seasonal Affective Disorder
“A White Coat Affair”: A Wonderful Evening Celebrating ALS TDI
Last night, the PatientsLikeMe team came together for a great cause: the “White Coat Affair” gala benefit in support of the ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI). Founded by PatientsLikeMe Co-Founder and Chairman Jamie Heywood in 1999, ALS TDI is the world’s most advanced research laboratory dedicated to ALS. Held the night before the institute’s… Continue reading “A White Coat Affair”: A Wonderful Evening Celebrating ALS TDI
Moving Genetic Data Discovery Forward
In August, we proudly announced that PatientsLikeMe Research Scientist Catherine Brownstein, PhD, MPH, had won a prestigious “Young Investigator Award” from the International Congress for Human Genetics (ICHG). As promised, here is Catherine’s first-person report from the conference, held October 11-15, 2011, in Montreal. *********************************************************** The 12th International Congress for Human Genetics (ICHG) was a… Continue reading Moving Genetic Data Discovery Forward
Reflecting on National Disability Employment Awareness Month
Have your health conditions ever caused you to lose a job? Or prevented you from applying – or getting hired – in the first place? October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, an event that aims to recognize the skills that those with disabilities bring to the workforce and promote employment opportunities and access for… Continue reading Reflecting on National Disability Employment Awareness Month
Photo of the Week: Angels in Motion
Please meet ALS patient sillyangel, who led a PatientsLikeMeInMotion-sponsored team at the Walk to Defeat ALS in Des Moines, Iowa, on October 8, 2011. As you’ll see, she proudly wore her bright blue PatientsLikeMeInMotion t-shirt to stand out in the crowd. Congrats to sillyangel and all of our PatientsLikeMeInMotion-sponsored teams for your efforts to raise… Continue reading Photo of the Week: Angels in Motion
Creating Wheelchair Awareness Through Photos
For someone who uses a wheelchair, there are barriers and hazards everywhere – things that others may not see. But how do you raise visibility of the issue? One of our longtime MS members, gamma, decided that a photo essay of the obstacles that exist in her neighborhood (considered a wheelchair-friendly community) and others would… Continue reading Creating Wheelchair Awareness Through Photos
What Patients Are Saying About Physical Therapy
Mobile. Active. Independent. How close are you or the patient in your life to those attributes? October is National Physical Therapy Month, which is designed the highlight the role of physical therapy (PT) in restoring and improving motion. According to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), the benefits can include enhanced quality of life as… Continue reading What Patients Are Saying About Physical Therapy
Get Healthy for Good: An Interview with Catie Coman of the National Psoriasis Foundation
In August, we recognized Psoriasis Awareness Month on our blog and shared some facts and figures about this autoimmune disease, which affects 7.5 million Americans. One of the statistics we shared is that psoriasis often occurs in conjunction with other serious health conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, heart attack and obesity. What these conditions share is… Continue reading Get Healthy for Good: An Interview with Catie Coman of the National Psoriasis Foundation
How’s Your HDL and LDL?
September is National Cholesterol Education Month, which means it’s a good time to find out your total cholesterol levels as well as your HDL (“good” cholesterol) and LDL (“bad” cholesterol) levels. Have you had them checked in the last five years? More than 102 million Americans have a total cholesterol level at or above 200… Continue reading How’s Your HDL and LDL?