“I would just like to understand the ‘why’” – a conversation with PD community member dropsies

Right at the start of April, you might have seen us post on the blog that it’s Parkinson’s (PD) Awareness Month. And to keep Parkinson’s awareness going strong all month long, we’re sharing a recent interview with PatientsLikeMe member Betty – aka dropsies to those in the community. She was diagnosed with Parkinson’s back in… Continue reading “I would just like to understand the ‘why’” – a conversation with PD community member dropsies

“Pay it forward.” Following up with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patient and PatientsLikeMe member Lori

 This is Lori’s third interview on the PatientsLikeMe blog! She’s been sharing her journey with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (a rare lung disease) with all of our followers here, along with her real-world health experiences on her PatientsLikeMe profile. Since the last time we caught up with her, Lori has lost 70 lbs., has made the… Continue reading “Pay it forward.” Following up with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patient and PatientsLikeMe member Lori

Living with hope – An interview on AKU with Alycia and Nate

We’ve had the pleasure of talking with and featuring many PatientsLikeMe members on the blog over the years, but Nate is the youngest by far. He’s just 5 years old and is living with Alkaptonuria (AKU), a rare metabolic disease, sometimes called Black Bone Disease. Recently, we had the chance to chat with his mom,… Continue reading Living with hope – An interview on AKU with Alycia and Nate

A life well lived: Giving and sharing with PatientsLikeMe member Geof

At PatientsLikeMe, we believe that the patient voice is what can change healthcare for good, so we’re always excited when our members take the time to talk about their personal stories with the community. This week, Geof, a PatientsLikeMe multiple sclerosis (MS) community member with a big heart and an even bigger family, shared his… Continue reading A life well lived: Giving and sharing with PatientsLikeMe member Geof

Can patients become innovators? Rishi Bhalerao from PatientsLikeMe speaks at TEDx Springfield 2013

Rishi Bhalerao, our Program Director of Client Services, recently spoke about patient innovation at the 2013 TEDx conference in Springfield, MA. Rishi talked about how the path to innovation begins right with patients because they are the ones who live with a condition day-in and day-out. Their sharing helps bridge the gap from patient to… Continue reading Can patients become innovators? Rishi Bhalerao from PatientsLikeMe speaks at TEDx Springfield 2013

Trying to put insomnia to rest – An interview on sleep with insomnia patient and PatientsLikeMe member Marcia

As part of our “Are You Sleeping?” initiative, we’re talking with different patients to learn what it’s like to live with a lack of sleep and how that impacts their health. Recently, we caught up with Marcia, a PatientsLikeMe MS community member (some of you might know her as gamma) and happy grandmother of 3… Continue reading Trying to put insomnia to rest – An interview on sleep with insomnia patient and PatientsLikeMe member Marcia

Bad night’s sleep is norm for people with health conditions, according to PatientsLikeMe survey

Majority of Members Have Chronic Sleep Problems That Point to Insomnia, But They Aren’t Diagnosed With The Condition   CAMBRIDGE, Mass.— September 23, 2013—Results from a new survey of 5,256 PatientsLikeMe members around the world reveal nearly one-third of respondents—people who live day to day with life-changing conditions—never (5%) or rarely (25%) get a good… Continue reading Bad night’s sleep is norm for people with health conditions, according to PatientsLikeMe survey

“I do not want your pity. I just want understanding.” An interview with alkaptonuria patient and PatientsLikeMe member Carolyn

Do you know what alkaptonuria (AKU) is? If you don’t, you’re not alone. AKU is a rare but devastating condition that causes severe, early onset osteoarthritis. It also causes cardiovascular problems, such as heart disease, kidney, bladder and prostate stones and other serious health complications. AKU is so rare that it’s estimated to only affect… Continue reading “I do not want your pity. I just want understanding.” An interview with alkaptonuria patient and PatientsLikeMe member Carolyn

“Don’t try to do this alone.” An interview with multiple sclerosis patient and PatientsLikeMe member Ted.

For our latest patient spotlight interview, we’re talking with Ted. Some of you may know him on PatientsLikeMe as sirsmedley’s and he’s been sharing his journey with the community since 2010. Ted was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) back in 2009 and he recently took some time to talk with us about a bunch of… Continue reading “Don’t try to do this alone.” An interview with multiple sclerosis patient and PatientsLikeMe member Ted.

“Does anyone in healthcare want to be understood?” Sally Okun from PatientsLikeMe at TEDMED2013

It’s no secret that here at PatientsLikeMe, we think that the voice of the patient — your voice — is the number one way to drive medical advancements. At TEDMED 2013, our very own Sally Okun shared that message on one of the world’s largest stages. She asked the audience a very simple question. “Does… Continue reading “Does anyone in healthcare want to be understood?” Sally Okun from PatientsLikeMe at TEDMED2013