Last month, PatientsLikeMe was honored to host a special visitor — Dr. Jill Biden was in town as part of the Cancer Moonshot Initiative announced by President Obama in his 2016 State of the Union Address. She made time to stop by our office to learn more about how PatientsLikeMe works and how members use… Continue reading PatientsLikeMe Co-founder Ben Heywood reflects on a recent visit from Dr. Jill Biden
Category: Patient Experiences
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
What’s your experience with accessing your electronic medical records?
Hi everyone! I’m Sally Okun, Vice President for Advocacy, Policy and Patient Safety at PatientsLikeMe. Most of you probably already know me, but just in case you don’t, I really focus on bringing the patient voice to affect better treatment, services and care, and to be sure that the needs of patients are at the… Continue reading What’s your experience with accessing your electronic medical records?
Raising awareness for immunological and neurological health in May
Earlier this year, we interviewed Team of Advisors member Craig, who’s living with fibromyalgia. Craig talked talked about the need to raise awareness for “hidden disabilities” like his condition. So today, we’re doing just that. May 12 is International Awareness Day for Chronic Immunological and Neurological Diseases (CINDs), which include fibromyalgia and myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME)/chronic… Continue reading Raising awareness for immunological and neurological health in May
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)
A new precision medicine program for ALS patients
Last month, we talked about precision medicine and what it could mean for psychiatry. What’s precision medicine again? It’s a relatively new way of preventing and treating illnesses that takes into consideration people’s genetic makeup, environment and lifestyle.1 Today — just in time for ALS Awareness Month — we’re digging deeper into how it can be… Continue reading A new precision medicine program for ALS patients
“Adapt, improvise and overcome.” — PatientsLikeMe member Dana shares her experience for Sjögren’s Awareness Month
In honor of Sjögren’s Awareness Month, we connected with PatientsLikeMe member Dana, a New Jersey-based poet and screenplay writer who was recently diagnosed. This isn’t the first time we’ve interviewed Dana — she was a member of our 2014 Team of Advisors! Here, Dana talks about the daily challenges of living with Sjögren’s, an autoimmune… Continue reading “Adapt, improvise and overcome.” — PatientsLikeMe member Dana shares her experience for Sjögren’s Awareness Month
“Seesawing Libidos”: A podcast for Parkinson’s Awareness Month
April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month, and this year we’re getting personal. “Seesawing libidos,” an episode of WBUR Boston’s Modern Love podcast, explores an unexpected side effect of a Parkinson’s medication: an overactive sex drive. The story comes from comedian Marc Jaffe, whose wife Karen was diagnosed with Parkinson’s 15 years into their marriage. Before Karen’s… Continue reading “Seesawing Libidos”: A podcast for Parkinson’s Awareness Month
Food for Thought: IBS Awareness Month edition
Did you know that 9% – 23% of the world’s population live with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)1, including over 5,000 members on PatientsLikeMe? For IBS Awareness Month, we’re digging deeper into how people are coping with this condition that affects so many. We asked IBS members for some insight — which foods help and… Continue reading Food for Thought: IBS Awareness Month edition