Month: October 2022

From Caregiver to Advocate: Tonya’s Story

November is National Caregiver Month. It's a month to celebrate the millions of people who care for their aging, disabled, chronically ill, or terminally ill friends and family members. This week, we are sharing a story from patient leader Tonya Hidalgo, a writer at COPD.net. She blogs at The COPD Life and is the author…

Community Views: How Chronic Pain Affects Patient Leaders

Generally, pain that lasts longer than 3 to 6 months is considered chronic pain. It is pain that stretches beyond the expected timeline for typical healing. Chronic pain is common – more than 1 out of 10 people experience it. And it often accompanies chronic illness, adding another layer to the challenges that illness presents.1…

Replay: Unlocking Health Leader Opportunities

Julie Croner, VP of Community Development, shares exciting new ways for health leaders to interact with their community and get paid for their advocacy efforts. Getting involved in those opportunities may look like co-creating content with one of our 40+ condition-specific communities or connecting health leaders to information about real-life experiences.   Key Takeaways Julie…

Getting to Know Our Social Health Network Members

The new Social Health Network (SHN) provides space to connect with other patient leaders. In August, we posted several prompts to the Social Health Network Facebook page to act as springboards for understanding one another and forming connections. Community members had many insights to share! How summer heat affects them One of the questions we…

Let’s Look at Mental Health Myths + Facts

Mental health is inextricably tied to physical health. According to the Centers for Disease Control, mental health "includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices." 1 Patient advocacy is hard work, and it…