We love to tell stories. And as storytellers, we know sometimes we just need to get out of the way and let you tell it. You own your story, and sharing it with us and the Health Stories Project community can be the bravest thing you do.
Below you will find stories we’ve written or curated and stories taken directly from our community. They might be raw and unfiltered, but we feel it is our members’ truths we need to honor and respect.
Mary endured various anxieties associated with a high risk of breast cancer for a decade before ultimately being diagnosed with the cancer in 2014. Here she shares how it felt to face the disease, the many decisions triggered by her diagnosis, the treatment
Many people living with multiple illnesses don’t just manage symptoms, they also adhere to a medication schedule and may need to repeatedly adjust their overall regimen (with their doctors’ input) due to how medicines interact. Staying on top of treatments alone can have
Tonianne has lived with physical and mental health conditions since childhood. These are their frank, empathetic words about coping and learning over time — a valuable message all the more appropriate during this Mental Health Awareness Month. This story mentions self-harm and other
Rosemary’s health concerns date back to 1984, when she was diagnosed with lupus and interstitial lung disease. In the decades since, she has been diagnosed with several other conditions, making each year more complex and challenging than the last. Looking back on her
Zoann managed asthma symptoms for nearly two decades only to find that the doctors she saw over those years had never truly seen her. They had never looked beyond her diagnosis to see that she had multiple health issues going on. When Zoann
Pain has shaped Pam’s life for decades, both physical and mental. Others’ pain, too. She has served as a caregiver for multiple family members and in more recent years, after being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions, shifted focus to her own
In 2021, Cathy sent us her story about her harrowing experiences leading up to, and following, a multiple system atrophy (MSA) diagnosis. We checked in with her before publishing it, and in the time between, she had forgotten exactly what she’d shared with
Two similar people living with the same health condition may have varying symptoms, a range of responses to daily difficulties and unique ways of finding peace. The very concept of “support” means one thing to you and likely something altogether different to your neighbor.
Robin’s declining strength and stamina at work served as an alarm that something was wrong. It took three years, however, to identify what was causing these feelings of weakness and exhaustion. Here Robin shares the perspective gained from this long process — and
For many years, Megan’s multiple physical and mental health conditions have proven difficult to treat with standard medications. As a result, she has found alternate ways to find relief and peace. Here she shares some of what she has experienced and how she’s
In a span of just over five years, Frank experienced multiple health challenges that further complicated a mental health issue that, on its own, led to disability. This is how he described the journey and the perspective he gained along the way. Stress,
Despite a healthy, active lifestyle, Michael found himself in an ICU bed with kidney failure in 2019. He was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, underwent dialysis and chemotherapy and then a stem cell transplant. Still recovering nine months following this procedure and in search
Gina’s life completely changed when she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. She went from being an active 34-year-old business owner to completely disabled by 46. Here she shares her story, along with encouraging words for others experiencing similar situations. Seeking Medical Care I
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is like personality — it’s very different from one person to another. The symptoms are unique to everyone diagnosed with MS and may be misunderstood by people who don’t live with the condition. March is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month, so
An accident at work changed the trajectory of Kimberley’s life. Although her health issues may seem invisible to others, the pain she feels is very real. Here she shares a situation she encountered with someone she used to consider a friend and how
Danielle has been living with bipolar disorder since 1996. This condition, and others she lives with, affect her life daily. Here, she shares hurtful words her father told her and how comments like this affect her and others living with a similar condition.
Lindsey kept her narcolepsy diagnosis to herself, family and close friends, until September 2019 when she decided to finally post about her health experiences on her social media profiles. Here she shares how opening up about her diagnosis has helped her accept the
One winter night in 2000, Kara was involved in a terrible car accident and airlifted to a hospital. Faced with a long and difficult recovery but determined to live the life she’d planned, she worked through the pain caused by the accident for
Denise was diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the late 1980s and told she might only have one year to live. Here she shares what has given her strength in the decades since. A Bleak Prognosis [In the 1980s], my friends were
When Sylvia’s husband passed away, managing her health conditions — including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) — became exponentially more difficult. The key to her perseverance was receiving support from someone living with similar circumstances. Here she recounts her emotions following in the wake
Two similar people living with the same health condition may have varying symptoms, a range of responses to daily difficulties and unique ways of finding peace. The very concept of “support” means one thing to you and likely something altogether different to your neighbor.
Community Insights Are Valuable Our site will never be a place to come and get every fact or the latest piece of news about any health condition. However, we will continue to share results from surveys you generously respond to. Last year, we
We’re all experiencing this pandemic both together and in isolation. We checked in one last time in 2020 and asked how you all were doing. Some of the questions were new, and some were identical to questions we asked last spring so we could
Lisa and Matt are Health Stories Project members from Austin, Texas that believe their community made the difference when Matt had an unexpected hospital stay related to colon cancer. They allowed us to visit them (socially distanced!) to capture their story. Please join
Black Health Matters Providing health solutions for the mind, body and soul. A resource for health and wellness within the African American community. Website: https://blackhealthmatters.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BHMinfo Black Women’s Health A national nonprofit dedicated solely to the health & wellness of Black
In Dallas, Texas, in the late 1970s, Gail Henkin was the youthful, earnest subject of a photoshoot. She smiled. She gazed at the camera. She felt a flutter of pride. Despite her grandmother’s death from lung cancer, she held a cigarette—and many poses—as
What happens when you develop a serious autoimmune condition at a young age? For young people living with Hidradenitis Suppurativa (commonly called HS), it can mean embarrassment, pain, confusion, and the frustration that comes with limited information. While the average age of onset
For Art, who was diagnosed with HIV in January 1989, watching the COVID-19 pandemic unfold has been reminiscent of his experience living through the AIDS epidemic that ravaged the US in the 1980s and 1990s. “I grew up in the epicenter of HIV
As concerns about the coronavirus continue to mount, one organization is reminding governments and communities not to forget about people with disabilities. World Enabled, founded in 2003, aims to build inclusive societies for people with disabilities and older persons. With COVID-19 continuing to
Taryn J. age 26, was a natural homebody before a pandemic struck Washington state, and now staying at home is enforced by law. Jessica Cannon, age 27, commuted to Seattle by train for almost an hour to reach her job as an accountant,
Right now, the world is a scary and uncertain place. From disrupted treatment, lost work and wages, healthcare rationing, social isolation, and subsequent depression, the coronavirus (COVID-19) is disrupting the lives of every person in the U.S. (and the world!). These issues are
When Health Stories Project invited readers to share their experiences with lupus, we received a lot of responses, which ranged from humorous to heartbreaking. Lupus, a long-term autoimmune disease in which the immune system goes haywire and attacks healthy tissue, affects everybody differently
Beth Morton was in her mid-30s on the cusp of finishing her PhD when the chronic migraines began. At the time, she was no stranger to debilitating migraine attacks — she’d been having them a couple of times a month for two decades.
I remember vividly when a close family member was hit by an asthma attack that was exacerbated by dust and mold in a large arena filled with horses. When we bought the tickets, we didn’t think about how a simple show could lead
Multiple myeloma survivor Sandy, says that “fighting this alone without support is a hard, rough road.” This is true not only for survivors but for family and caregivers as well. If someone you love is dealing with cancer you may feel overwhelmed, helpless,
“I have fits of uncontrollable laughter and it’s not fun or funny.” That’s how Jennifer explains life with pseudobulbar affect (PBA). Wendy has the same condition and describes her experiences: “It’s frustrating because you have no control over [laughing or crying]. They occur
When Michelle Rathman tells her personal story of how a successful public relations expert shifted her focus from representing bestselling authors to advocating for rural healthcare, the audience listens raptly. Hands always shoot up when she asks if anybody else had a medical
John Linnell knows how to put people at ease. When asked how he’s doing, he delivers a humorous response with impeccable timing. “If I were any better, I’d be twins,” he says, chuckling a little at his own well-worn bit. “But then I’d
This is the second of two articles about being a care partner to someone with terminal cancer. Click here to read Part 1. If you would like to share your health experiences, please sign up here. Tiffini Joseph lost her loving mother to lung cancer in
When it comes to fighting cancer, the timing is never ideal, but sometimes it strikes at the worst possible moment. Molly MacDonald had just endured a financially devastating divorce and was about to transition to a new six-figure job that would help her
Mary endured various anxieties associated with a high risk of breast cancer for a decade before ultimately being diagnosed with the cancer in 2014. Here she shares how it felt to face the disease, the many decisions triggered by her diagnosis, the treatment
Many people living with multiple illnesses don’t just manage symptoms, they also adhere to a medication schedule and may need to repeatedly adjust their overall regimen (with their doctors’ input) due to how medicines interact. Staying on top of treatments alone can have
Tonianne has lived with physical and mental health conditions since childhood. These are their frank, empathetic words about coping and learning over time — a valuable message all the more appropriate during this Mental Health Awareness Month. This story mentions self-harm and other
Rosemary’s health concerns date back to 1984, when she was diagnosed with lupus and interstitial lung disease. In the decades since, she has been diagnosed with several other conditions, making each year more complex and challenging than the last. Looking back on her
Zoann managed asthma symptoms for nearly two decades only to find that the doctors she saw over those years had never truly seen her. They had never looked beyond her diagnosis to see that she had multiple health issues going on. When Zoann
Pain has shaped Pam’s life for decades, both physical and mental. Others’ pain, too. She has served as a caregiver for multiple family members and in more recent years, after being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions, shifted focus to her own
In 2021, Cathy sent us her story about her harrowing experiences leading up to, and following, a multiple system atrophy (MSA) diagnosis. We checked in with her before publishing it, and in the time between, she had forgotten exactly what she’d shared with
Robin’s declining strength and stamina at work served as an alarm that something was wrong. It took three years, however, to identify what was causing these feelings of weakness and exhaustion. Here Robin shares the perspective gained from this long process — and
For many years, Megan’s multiple physical and mental health conditions have proven difficult to treat with standard medications. As a result, she has found alternate ways to find relief and peace. Here she shares some of what she has experienced and how she’s
In a span of just over five years, Frank experienced multiple health challenges that further complicated a mental health issue that, on its own, led to disability. This is how he described the journey and the perspective he gained along the way. Stress,
Despite a healthy, active lifestyle, Michael found himself in an ICU bed with kidney failure in 2019. He was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, underwent dialysis and chemotherapy and then a stem cell transplant. Still recovering nine months following this procedure and in search
Gina’s life completely changed when she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. She went from being an active 34-year-old business owner to completely disabled by 46. Here she shares her story, along with encouraging words for others experiencing similar situations. Seeking Medical Care I
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is like personality — it’s very different from one person to another. The symptoms are unique to everyone diagnosed with MS and may be misunderstood by people who don’t live with the condition. March is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month, so
An accident at work changed the trajectory of Kimberley’s life. Although her health issues may seem invisible to others, the pain she feels is very real. Here she shares a situation she encountered with someone she used to consider a friend and how
Danielle has been living with bipolar disorder since 1996. This condition, and others she lives with, affect her life daily. Here, she shares hurtful words her father told her and how comments like this affect her and others living with a similar condition.
Lindsey kept her narcolepsy diagnosis to herself, family and close friends, until September 2019 when she decided to finally post about her health experiences on her social media profiles. Here she shares how opening up about her diagnosis has helped her accept the
One winter night in 2000, Kara was involved in a terrible car accident and airlifted to a hospital. Faced with a long and difficult recovery but determined to live the life she’d planned, she worked through the pain caused by the accident for
Denise was diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the late 1980s and told she might only have one year to live. Here she shares what has given her strength in the decades since. A Bleak Prognosis [In the 1980s], my friends were
When Sylvia’s husband passed away, managing her health conditions — including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) — became exponentially more difficult. The key to her perseverance was receiving support from someone living with similar circumstances. Here she recounts her emotions following in the wake
Jim has lived with Charco-Marie-Tooth disease, which affects peripheral nerves that control the muscles, since childhood. He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at 60 years old. He urges those who are recently diagnosed with a condition to accept, process and move past emotions
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