For many newly diagnosed patients, accepting help can be as difficult as accepting the diagnosis itself. According to some of the members of our Parkinson’s disease community, here are a few signs that you may be struggling with the idea of becoming someone who might need help. Have you found yourself feeling resentful when family,… Continue reading Not Recognizing the “New Me”
Category: Parkinson’s Disease
PatientsLikeMe and Dr. Max Little Team Up to Advance Parkinson’s Research Through the Patient Voice
TED Fellows Call on Parkinson’s Patients to Help Screen, Monitor Disease Progression CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — December 3, 2012 —Today, Paul Wicks Ph.D., director of research for PatientsLikeMe, and Max Little, Ph.D., founder of the Parkinson’s Voice Initiative (PVI), kick off a partnership to advance Parkinson’s disease (PD) research through the sound of the patient voice.… Continue reading PatientsLikeMe and Dr. Max Little Team Up to Advance Parkinson’s Research Through the Patient Voice
Honoring Family Caregivers Everywhere
Is there a caregiver in your family? For example, someone who looks out for an elderly parent or grandparent – or who cares for a child or spouse with a debilitating illness? November is National Family Caregivers Month, a time for recognizing the important role of family caregivers in our society as well as the… Continue reading Honoring Family Caregivers Everywhere
What’s Positive About Disease?
It may seem counterintuitive, but according to some of our members, there are actually some good things that can come out of being diagnosed with a serious illness. In the spirit of Thanksgiving – a time when many people are reminded of all the things they have to be grateful for – we thought we… Continue reading What’s Positive About Disease?
PatientsLikeMe’s Paul Wicks Is a TED2013 Fellow
We are thrilled to announce that PatientsLikeMe Research & Development Director Dr. Paul Wicks, PhD, has been named a TED2013 Fellow. He is one of 20 individuals to be selected from more than 1,200 candidates to attend the TED2013 conference in Long Beach, California, participate in a preconference bootcamp and receive mentoring from the TED… Continue reading PatientsLikeMe’s Paul Wicks Is a TED2013 Fellow
What We’re Reading at PatientsLikeMe
Here are some of the media items that grabbed our attention recently. Four Things I Learned from Living with a Chronic Illness Wise advice from a teenager who had to give up competitive gymnastics and find a new perspective on life after being diagnosed with a disease that causes chronic pain. Access to Doctors’ Notes… Continue reading What We’re Reading at PatientsLikeMe
Spotlighted Author: Parkinson’s Humorist Bev Ribaudo on Dispensing Laughter
PatientsLikeMe member Bev Ribaudo (“YumaBev”) was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD) at age 47, but it hasn’t dampened her flair for comedy. “Humor comes naturally to me, and a little disease like Parkinson’s can’t take it away,” she says. In fact, her condition has given her a new purpose: entertaining other “Parkies” with her deep… Continue reading Spotlighted Author: Parkinson’s Humorist Bev Ribaudo on Dispensing Laughter
Art as Therapy in Parkinson’s Disease
Do you have a creative outlet that helps you cope with your health condition? Here are two examples of Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients in our community who are expressing their emotions through painting, despite hand tremors and other challenging symptoms. (See even more PD patient artwork in this inspiring forum thread.) “Iggy the Iguana” by… Continue reading Art as Therapy in Parkinson’s Disease
PatientsLikeMe Featured on Bloomberg TV
On October 9th, Bloomberg TV aired a four-and-a-half minute “Innovators” segment profiling PatientsLikeMe’s journey as company. Filmed partially in our office in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the piece features PatientsLikeMe Co-Founder and Chairman Jamie Heywood as well as Ed Sikov, a PatientsLikeMe member with Parkinson’s disease. Our thanks go to Bloomberg’s Nicole Lapin for her in-depth coverage… Continue reading PatientsLikeMe Featured on Bloomberg TV
The Joy of Being Helpful
Many patients with life-changing conditions report feelings of grief and guilt about no longer being able to do many of the things they did in the past. As a recent discussion in our forum revealed, however, patients are finding ways to reset their perspective and boost their self-esteem by focusing on what they are still… Continue reading The Joy of Being Helpful