At Health Stories Project, empowering patients and caregivers to share their authentic health journeys is at the heart of our business. Only from understanding such a journey – which is different for every person we encounter – can we authoritatively recommend strategies to…
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Performer and multiple sclerosis advocate Brittany Quiroz is keeping it real—and empowering others. If all the world is a stage, as William Shakespeare’s Jacques asserted around 400 years ago, most of us are metaphorical bit players whose challenges and dreams don’t factor into…
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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…
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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…
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Did you know that grandparents make up more than one one-third of the adult U.S. population? With increased life expectancy and aging baby boomers, we have more grandparents in this country than ever before. And this is a good thing (a perhaps a…
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Like many teenagers, Jordyn struggled with acne starting around the time she hit puberty. She didn’t think of it as anything out of the ordinary, even as it worsened over time. As Jordyn entered her late teens, things began to escalate. During her…
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Ashley Green was diagnosed with psoriasis in 1995 at 15 years old, but only recently has she gained enough distance from the disease and its effects to understand how significantly it impacted nearly every facet of her life. For Ashley, psoriasis first appeared…
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Lauren Morales showed no signs of a Urea Cycle disorder (UCD) until she was four years old. She and her family were at her grandmother’s house around Christmas, when her mother noticed she wasn’t acting like her usual self. Normally filled with boundless…
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Regina Holliday is an artist, patient rights advocate, and founder of the Walking Gallery and the Medical Advocacy Mural Project. We recently spoke with her to discuss her work, her new book, and what she’s got planned for the future – here’s what…
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When Jessica Beltran’s mom noticed her infant daughter wasn’t growing eyebrows and eyelashes, she brought her to see a doctor. At just six months old, Jessica was diagnosed with alopecia. In the early years of her life, she had alopecia areata, a form…
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How do you cope with an immensely painful medical condition many doctors don’t even know exists? Long before she knew it, that was the problem facing Maria Martinez. Early in 2008, Maria and her son were raking in the yard when she noticed…
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For Diane Paradise, an anonymous stranger’s decision to bank cord blood has provided nothing less than a new lease on life. The problems began as a lump in her underarm. Even after an early diagnosis called it a “fatty tumor” and a needle…
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You’ve probably heard that type 2 diabetes is on the rise. According to data released by the Centers for Disease Control in its 2014 National Diabetes Statistics Report, 29.1 million people living in the U.S., more than 9 percent of the population, have…
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For many diagnosed with Celiac Disease, the initial emotional response is joy that doctors have identified the source of illness, and a renewed hope that a healthy life is once again possible. Soon after comes a realization that many of one’s favorite foods…
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Who is the expert in directing your healthcare? Hint: It’s not your doctor. You might not wear a white lab coat or have a medical degree, but you know your body best. Of course, doctors are still very important in guiding your care….
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There was never any question whether Rayna DuBose was tough. Graduating from high school in 2001 with a scholarship to play basketball at Virginia Tech, Rayna took no prisoners on the court. Whether shooting hoops, playing volleyball or dancing ballet, Rayna never held…
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On May 31st, 1994, President Clinton signed National Men’s Health Week into existence. Why? Because men were dying, on average, seven years earlier than women. Because men were 150 percent less likely than women to visit a doctor for preventive care. And, finally,…
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It was a typical Atlanta morning in January, 1991. Herb Silverman, then 27, was up early and doing his morning workout at the small gym in his apartment complex when something went awry. “I felt lightheaded and dizzy but didn’t know what the…
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Health Stories Project is about highlighting personal experiences to inspire and educate people about what it’s like to live with specific health conditions. Sometimes these experiences begin very early in life. A significant number of children and teens are affected by health issues…
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Imagine your skin is so fragile that just rubbing it causes it to blister. And not just the skin you can see. Eating can cause the skin in your mouth and throat to blister as well. Sounds terrible, right? This is what life…
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Some health issues knock you off your feet. Others creep up so slowly you barely notice them until you’ve been living with them for a while. For Scarlet Hartwell, hepatitis C was one of the creepers. Hepatitis C is a virus that can…
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We recently spoke with Jessica Gimeno, author of the blog Fashionably ill: The Sick Woman’s Stylist. As someone who fights mental illness and chronic pain daily, Jessica is dedicated to helping people survive chronic illnesses with style and humor. Check out what she…
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The last year has been a good one for Steven Koston. Now 44, the Wisconsin native works in sales and loves to get out on the golf course when he’s not spending time with his wife, Barbara, and their two children. If you…
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If you met Carlyle King, you probably wouldn’t think he’s autistic. He’s easy to talk with, seems to do fine in social situations, and works at Boise State University as an information technology professional with a focus on maintaining learning management systems. But…
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Health Stories Project was created to give people opportunities to share their personal health experiences and to learn from the experiences of others.