Endorsements for the 2018 WEGO Health Awards opened this week and we are blown away at how many people are standing up to support their fellow Patient Leaders! In our first week we have received almost 2,000 endorsements. Let that sink in. In 5 days, 2,000 people have taken the time to endorse someone they felt changed their lives or their experience as a patient. Gives you the warm fuzzies, doesn’t it? While we’re all still reeling from this first week, let’s take a quick throw back to the following three Patient Leaders who are sharing their their own stories and using their experiences to change the lives of others. The three wonderful women we’re featuring this week are truly inspiring and you’d be remiss if you didn’t give them a follow and learn more about them.
Have a great weekend, everyone.
Katherine Leon
Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection Patient Leader
Website | Facebook | Twitter
“Why do I advocate? Because survivors of heart attack and sudden cardiac arrest from spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) have been through an unspeakable betrayal of their own bodies and deserve a voice. Our arteries tear like tissue paper for a still unknown reason. SCAD isn’t something we brought on ourselves by poor health habits. Overcoming the experience and struggling through the “why me” worries can be devastating without someone having your back. When I had my heart attack in 2003, no one would “hear” me no matter how many questions I asked. SCAD just wasn’t on anyone’s radar then. But even now, survivors must keep sharing our stories and ideas about the SCAD experience, so we can help inform research and discover the answers we need to heal 100%.”
Parijat Deshpande
High-risk Pregnancy Patient Leader
Website | Facebook | Twitter
“After experiencing infertility, a very high-risk pregnancy and extremely preterm delivery myself, I knew how helpless and overwhelming it can feel. I also personally experience the power of the mind-body connection and how it can empower women like me to help themselves stay pregnant even if they’re going through multiple complications. I strongly believe that the more we can teach and encourage women to take charge of their health during pregnancy and trust their bodies, that is how we can have healthier moms, healthier babies and ultimately reduce the preterm birth rate worldwide.”
Uzma Yunus
Breast Cancer Patient Leader
Website | Facebook | Twitter
“When I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer, I had to navigate through a sea of medical information that even as a fully trained doctor was overwhelming. It made me think of all other women who were diagnosed and how hard it must be for them to understand what is going on. That motivated me to write about my experience and share my knowledge with fellow survivors. As a psychiatrist, I realized that there is very little support for cancer survivors as far as their emotional ramifications of a cancer diagnosis. I feel very strongly about the lack of mental health care for survivors of cancer and hope to raise awareness about it. I blog about my cancer and the raw emotions that surround dealing with my metastatic cancer and the need to find a cure. I want my story to help others who are unfortunately put on this path by life and help them find peace with this diagnosis. My story oscillates between a physician and a patient and seeing health care from both side of the table.'”
If you’re feeling inspired by these top Patient Leaders, you should join our network!
When you join our Patient Leader Network you’re first to know about the new and exciting things we’re doing at WEGO Health. Not only will we reach out to you when we have paid opportunities in your condition area, but we’ll also connect you with other Patient Leaders so you can share ideas and help each other amplify your messages. What are you waiting for? Join today!
Did you miss our last #FollowFriday? You can catch up here!
