Member Gloria (sunshine221) has been here almost since the start. The Parkinson’s Disease (PD) community on PatientsLikeMe launched in 2007, and Gloria joined in 2008. We recently caught up with her about her early days with PD, how she has used PatientsLikeMe through the years and what she’s up to now. Early days with PD… Continue reading “It gives me a source of hope”: Gloria’s 9+ years of tracking Parkinson’s disease and making connections on PatientsLikeMe
Tag: patient advocacy
It’s Clinical Trials Day, and patients are driving change
Today is Clinical Trials Day – celebrated to bring more attention to public health and also to recognize the contribution of the patients and healthcare professionals who make clinical research possible. At PatientsLikeMe, it’s members who are changing the way clinical trials are designed. Bringing the patient voice to clinical trials has long been part… Continue reading It’s Clinical Trials Day, and patients are driving change
Women’s Health Week: Ginny reflects on motherhood and “the perfect storm” of epilepsy and mental health conditions
In honor of National Women’s Health Week, Team of Advisors member Ginny (Mrslinkgetter) shares what it’s like to live with multiple health conditions – including major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder and epilepsy – as well as grief following the death of her son (who also had epilepsy and major depression). On PatientsLikeMe, hundreds… Continue reading Women’s Health Week: Ginny reflects on motherhood and “the perfect storm” of epilepsy and mental health conditions
“Every morning that I wake up feeling well is a day to celebrate life.” Revisiting member Gloria’s journey
We first met member Gloria (Glow4life) in 2015 when she shared her journey on the PatientsLikeMe blog. She opened up about her experiences from receiving a lung cancer diagnosis (adenocarcinoma), to the sudden loss of her husband and going through several rounds of treatment. Despite it all she never gave up hope, and two years… Continue reading “Every morning that I wake up feeling well is a day to celebrate life.” Revisiting member Gloria’s journey
“I thank my donor every day for this gift”: Member Laura shares her lung transplant story
Meet LaurCT, an active 2015-2016 Team of Advisors alum living with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). She underwent a left lung transplant at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston in January and recently shared her experience with us. How are you feeling these days? I am feeling great. I’ve had a couple bumps in the road… Continue reading “I thank my donor every day for this gift”: Member Laura shares her lung transplant story
Going the distance for MS awareness
Meet Cheryl (CherylRunner), a marathoner living with MS. Since it’s MS Awareness Month, we sat down to chat with her about what she’s doing to raise awareness: running 7 marathons on 7 continents in a 12-month span. So far under her belt are South Africa, Argentina, Hawaii, Antarctica and Japan, and now she prepares to… Continue reading Going the distance for MS awareness
Meet Christopher – “PTSD is not just soldiers whining and complaining about struggles in life”
Say hello to Christopher (ChrisBC), a father, musician and Purple Heart recipient living with PTSD and bipolar disorder. We recently caught up with him to hear about how PTSD affected his marriage and how his diagnosis pushed him get the help he needed and connect with his feelings. Keep reading to learn how he copes… Continue reading Meet Christopher – “PTSD is not just soldiers whining and complaining about struggles in life”
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
The Importance of Open Access: An Interview with Patient Advocate Graham Steel
A native of Glasgow, Scotland, Graham Steel is a longtime “Guest Researcher Member” of PatientsLikeMe. Following the death of his brother Richard at the age of 33 from a rare condition known as variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), Graham became involved in patient advocacy work, and most recently, in lobbying for open access to published scientific… Continue reading The Importance of Open Access: An Interview with Patient Advocate Graham Steel