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
What to Do – and Not Do – When Someone Has a Mental Health Condition
Have you ever wondered how best to interact with someone who is living with depression, bipolar disorder or another mental health condition? Have you worried that you’re saying or doing the wrong things? Last week we recognized Mental Illness Awareness Week on the blog, and to continue our coverage, today we thought we’d share with… Continue reading What to Do – and Not Do – When Someone Has a Mental Health Condition
Rediscovering Life’s Simple Pleasures: An Interview with a Heart Patient
Last week, we recognized World Heart Day on the blog and discussed why there is an urgent need for awareness about heart disease and stroke, the world’s number one killer. We also talked about how heart disease can be an abstract concept until you are exposed to someone’s personal story. That’s why we are pleased… Continue reading Rediscovering Life’s Simple Pleasures: An Interview with a Heart Patient
How Social Media Helped Me Adjust to My New Life: An ALS Patient Essay
Want to connect with and learn from others with ALS? Join PatientsLikeMe Now! (It’s free) “Social media is the MOST important means of socialization, communication and education for patients and their caregivers today, particularly with a disease like ALS where our minds are still sharp and active inside our failing bodies. Sites like PatientsLikeMe, Facebook… Continue reading How Social Media Helped Me Adjust to My New Life: An ALS Patient Essay
How Social Media Is Changing Research (Part II): A Guest Post by MS Clinical Trial Participant and Blogger Jeri Burtchell
Today’s guest post is written by PatientsLikeMe member Jeri Burtchell (TickledPink), who has been living with multiple sclerosis (MS) for 13 years. A tie dye apparel store owner and mother of two, she writes a blog entitled “Gilenya and Me: My Story of Being an MS Patient, a Hypochondriac and a Guinea Pig.” Her patient… Continue reading How Social Media Is Changing Research (Part II): A Guest Post by MS Clinical Trial Participant and Blogger Jeri Burtchell
How Social Media Is Changing Research (Part I): A Guest Post by MS Clinical Trial Participant and Blogger Jeri Burtchell
Today’s guest post is written by PatientsLikeMe member Jeri Burtchell (TickledPink), who has been living with multiple sclerosis (MS) for 13 years. A tie dye apparel store owner and mother of two, she writes a blog entitled “Gilenya and Me: My Story of Being an MS Patient, a Hypochondriac and a Guinea Pig.” Her patient… Continue reading How Social Media Is Changing Research (Part I): A Guest Post by MS Clinical Trial Participant and Blogger Jeri Burtchell
Snapping the Glove on Prostate Cancer Awareness: An Interview with Dan Hennessey
Canadian Dan Hennessey (Goalie at PatientsLikeMe) started out as a prostate cancer patient. Today, following successful treatment, he is not only a prostate cancer survivor, but an author, speaker and activist in the prostate cancer awareness movement. In honor of National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, we’ve interviewed Dan to learn about his experience and find… Continue reading Snapping the Glove on Prostate Cancer Awareness: An Interview with Dan Hennessey
Bringing PatientsLikeMe into the Doctor’s Office: An Interview with Pediatrician Dr. Jim King
You may recall that in July we shared a video about Doctors 2.0 and You, a conference focused on how physicians are using web 2.0 technology. Today we’d like to present a real-life example of this concept: Dr. Jim King, MSc, MD, FRCPC. A pediatrician at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) in Ottawa,… Continue reading Bringing PatientsLikeMe into the Doctor’s Office: An Interview with Pediatrician Dr. Jim King
PatientsLikeMe and Merck Establish Health Information Collaboration Focused on Psoriasis
Patient-Based Research Aims to Produce New Insights Into Most Common Autoimmune Disease in U.S. CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Aug 13, 2012 — PatientsLikeMe announces it has entered into a collaboration with Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, to evaluate the impact of psoriasis on patients and to inform a novel approach to improving outcomes. “A… Continue reading PatientsLikeMe and Merck Establish Health Information Collaboration Focused on Psoriasis
What Part of MS Are You Most Afraid of?
Can facing your fears help you come to terms with them? That’s the idea behind a recent discussion in our multiple sclerosis (MS) forum, in which one member asked, “What part of MS are you most afraid of?” The answers poured in from dozens of MS members who found it cathartic to reveal their true… Continue reading What Part of MS Are You Most Afraid of?