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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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…
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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…
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Brene Brown says, “There is no courage without vulnerability.” What would you like to share about a time that you felt courageous while being vulnerable?
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…
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One challenge many people face is living with several serious health conditions. This can have a major impact on your ability to work, time with friends and family, and it can even limit your ability to go out and enjoy the world.
Community member, David G, sent in this story in response to one of our story requests. This is our first story about Moebius Syndrome., a rare neurological condition that researchers estimate affects 1 in 50,000 to 1 in 500,000 newborns. It can be…
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Dan “Dry Dock” Shockley is a Health Stories Project member from California who, after retiring from the military and surviving hereditary colon cancer, is the definition of a warrior. He recently responded to our Shared Experiences story request about people sharing important experiences…
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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…
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If you live with an invisible illness you know exactly how hurtful worlds can be even if they come from someone who has good intentions.
This story was written by a community member, Cindy B. She responded to one of our story requests about life with cancer. Two years ago, a growth in my pulmonary artery was discovered by accident. Since then, a diagnosis of fibromuscular dysplasia and…
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MacKenzie is a Health Stories Project member from Kentucky who is most passionate about changing the way people see folks with multiple sclerosis, “They tend to focus on all the things we can’t do instead of all the things we can.” She recently responded…
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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…
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Meeting someone who understands what you’re going through can boost your mood, give you ideas or inspiration, and makes a huge difference when you’re feeling isolated or alone. This story template is designed to help you share about a time you’ve connected with someone about a shared health experience.
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…
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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,…
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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…
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Taking the time to listen and care for your body is a critical life-skill. This is true for everyone, but especially when you’re living with chronic health conditions. Sylvia of Virginia is living with lupus SLE, type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), depression,…
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Jae knows a thing or two about change. A passionate writer and volunteer in Chicago, he discovered he was living with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2019. We would like to thank him for sharing candidly about the first stages of this life-changing diagnosis….
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This description of healing and personal growth was written by community member, Allyson L. She responded to one of our story requests. Please leave your words of encouragement and inspiration in the comments below. I’ve always been crafty. I took the basic art…
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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…
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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.