Primary care that treats mind and body? It’s happening in Alaska

Integrated care for both mind and body under one roof? It may sound pie in the sky, but it’s really happening at an award-winning healthcare center in Anchorage, recently featured in Politico. How does it work? And can it be replicated? A shining example in Anchorage “It’s a truism that the mind and body are connected,… Continue reading Primary care that treats mind and body? It’s happening in Alaska

Speaking out for Lung Cancer Awareness Month: “We’ve got to get rid of the stigma”

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, and we’re sharing members’ encounters with stigma and the automatic association with smoking. Lung cancer rates are increasing among nonsmokers, and some members of your community are raising their voices. One concern? The assumption that lung cancer only affects smokers could delay diagnosis and treatment for anyone (especially never-smokers)… Continue reading Speaking out for Lung Cancer Awareness Month: “We’ve got to get rid of the stigma”

From “What happened to you?” to “You’re so inspirational”: 5 ways Anne navigates stigma as a wheelchair user

Member Anne Thomas (AnneBT), a civil rights attorney turned professional storyteller, has shared her stories with everyone from elementary schoolers and medical students to corporate leaders and World Bank officials. Anne sustained a spinal cord injury in a car accident at age 18. Her wheelchair is often the first thing people notice about her, so… Continue reading From “What happened to you?” to “You’re so inspirational”: 5 ways Anne navigates stigma as a wheelchair user

Mental Illness Awareness Week: More understanding, less stigma

Did you know it’s Mental Illness Awareness Week? Or that tomorrow, October 6, is National Depression Screening Day? Each year, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) works to overcome stigma and provide education and support for those living with mental illnesses. Whether you’re living with mental illness, know someone who is, or just want… Continue reading Mental Illness Awareness Week: More understanding, less stigma

Touched with fire: Eliminating the stigma of bipolar

PatientsLikeMe member Paul is a filmmaker who’s harnessed his bipolar into creativity, most recently in the debut feature film, Touched with Fire, which he wrote, directed, edited and scored himself. In the last month, we’ve spoken with him about his diagnosis and what he does to cope. Now he’s opening up about fighting the stigma… Continue reading Touched with fire: Eliminating the stigma of bipolar

Meet Christel from the PatientsLikeMe Team of Advisors

We wanted to take a minute to introduce you to Christel, one of your 2015-2016 PatientsLikeMe Team of Advisors. Christel who was 12 years old when she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, shares openly that she spent a lot of her teens and twenties ignoring its existence. But 32 years later, Christel has made… Continue reading Meet Christel from the PatientsLikeMe Team of Advisors

Getting ready for psoriasis awareness

Image courtesy of the National Psoriasis Foundation Tomorrow is the official start of Psoriasis Awareness Month. The National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) wants people with psoriasis to know they are not alone: Over 7.5 million people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with the condition, and more than 4,800 people with psoriasis are sharing what it’s like on PatientsLikeMe.… Continue reading Getting ready for psoriasis awareness

Myths vs. facts about multiple sclerosis

Stop! What do you know about multiple sclerosis (MS)? That’s the question we’re asking during MS Awareness Month. We’ve heard from many community members that people don’t always get what it’s like to live with MS, and that there’s wrong information out there. So as part of ongoing awareness efforts, we created shareable photos that… Continue reading Myths vs. facts about multiple sclerosis

“Post-MS, I’m one of the strongest people I know” – PatientsLikeMe MS member Jazz1982 opens up about her experiences with MS

PatientsLikeMe members are located all over the world, and this month, Swedish MS advocate Jazz1982 shared about what life is like on the other side of the Atlantic. She spoke in detail about the stigma surrounding MS, her exceptionally strong mindset and her experiences with Betaseron, Tysabri, Mabthera (Rituximab) and a few other pharmacological treatments.… Continue reading “Post-MS, I’m one of the strongest people I know” – PatientsLikeMe MS member Jazz1982 opens up about her experiences with MS

Finding Peace, Confidence and Lifelong Friends: An Interview with Psoriasis Patient Erica

Of all the psoriasis patients we’ve interviewed, Erica was hit by this highly stigmatized autoimmune condition the earliest – she developed visible symptoms at the tender age of 9.  Now 21, she shares her decade-plus journey from being the girl that people avoided in school to an increasingly confident young woman who has finally started… Continue reading Finding Peace, Confidence and Lifelong Friends: An Interview with Psoriasis Patient Erica