This year’s Team of Advisors has been sharing how they use the Partnership Principles in their health journeys. Today, we hear from Allison, who’s living with bipolar II. Allison is a volunteer with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in Dallas and also runs support groups for the Depression Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA). See… Continue reading Patients as Partners: Allison shares her insight on teaming up with organizations
Category: Conditions
Living with a health condition? On the PatientsLikeMe blog, find helpful health information and patient stories about being diagnosed, trying different treatments, and living day-to-day with a chronic condition.
Patients as Partners: Cyrena talks empathy and assertiveness
We’ve been talking to 2015-2016 Team of Advisors about the Partnership Principles they put together and how they use them in their personal health journeys. Next up is Cyrena, who’s living with bipolar II and lupus and recently completed her PhD in pharmacology. Below, she talks about managing multiple conditions, getting on the same page… Continue reading Patients as Partners: Cyrena talks empathy and assertiveness
Patients as Partners: John and David share their clinical trial experiences
We’ve been hearing from members of the Team of Advisors about how they’ve used the Partnership Principles in their health journeys. Recently, we sat down with John (Dockstoy), living with ALS, and David (Davidgewirtz), who’s living with lung cancer. John and David are both interested in research and have been involved in a few clinical trials. Below,… Continue reading Patients as Partners: John and David share their clinical trial experiences
Arthritis Awareness Month: Shedding light on an invisible condition
It’s National Arthritis Awareness Month, and while more than 50 million Americans live with it, arthritis is often an invisible condition. It can be hard for those who don’t have it to understand what it’s all about and how it impacts a person. So let’s test your arthritis knowledge — did you know any of the… Continue reading Arthritis Awareness Month: Shedding light on an invisible condition
“I learned that life is precious.”
Meet Jenna. She’s been part of the PatientsLikeMe Team since back in 2012 when she first started as an intern. And for Jenna, working at PatientsLikeMe is personal. Her father was diagnosed with ALS when she was just eight years old, and so, being part of PatientsLikeMe is especially meaningful for her. For ALS Awareness… Continue reading “I learned that life is precious.”
Patients as Partners: An open letter from Craig to the “normals”
We’ve been hearing from members of the Team of Advisors about how they’ve used the Partnership Principles in their health journeys. For Craig (woofhound), who’s living with fibromyalgia, it’s important to forge strong relationships with “normals,” or people who don’t know what it’s like to live with a chronic condition. By talking openly about illness, Craig believes,… Continue reading Patients as Partners: An open letter from Craig to the “normals”
“TransFatty Lives”: An interview with ALS filmmaker Patrick O’Brien
Meet Patrick O’Brien, a.k.a. “TransFatty,” whom we met through our friend and longtime PatientsLikeMe ALS member Steve Saling (Smooth S) after catching up with him earlier this year. Patrick is one of Steve’s housemates at the Steve Saling ALS Residence at the Chelsea Jewish Foundation’s Leonard Florence Center for Living and he’s also an award-winning filmmaker. Back… Continue reading “TransFatty Lives”: An interview with ALS filmmaker Patrick O’Brien
Patients as Partners: Gus and Maria talk partnering with your caregiver
The 2015-2016 Team of Advisors recently introduced the Partnership Principles. They’ve been sharing personal stories about these principles in action to kick-off conversations on partnering with all sorts of people — medical students, clinical trial coordinators, and “normals.” Today, Team of Advisors member Gus along with his wife and caregiver, Maria, share about their special relationship and how… Continue reading Patients as Partners: Gus and Maria talk partnering with your caregiver
Patients as partners: Member Peggy on the diagnosis journey (Part 2)
Earlier this week, member Peggy (peggyznd) illustrated the 2015-2016 Team of Advisors’ Partnership Principles by sharing how to advocate for yourself and work with your doctor in your diagnosis journey. Here, she talks about finding a specialist, questioning your diagnosis and switching doctors. Peggy reminds all patients play an active role in their health: “Be like the… Continue reading Patients as partners: Member Peggy on the diagnosis journey (Part 2)
Patients as Partners: Member Peggy on the diagnosis journey (Part I)
Last week, Team of Advisors member Jeff kicked off a series of conversations about the Partnership Principles with his thoughts on partnering better with your care team. Today, Peggy (peggyznd) digs deeper into one area where strong relationships are key: getting diagnosed. Peggy draws from her own experience with kidney cancer and breast cancer to… Continue reading Patients as Partners: Member Peggy on the diagnosis journey (Part I)