Highlighting patients and care partners from around the world living positive lives despite the hurdles they face.
These are their stories, in their own words.
By Jennifer Beilis I am hearing impaired and dealing with that and my other medical issues (perimenopause, polycystic ovary syndrome, thyroid disease, and arthritis) has triggered anxiety and depression. It was always difficult for me to know where a voice was coming from in the room. It was also hard to hear the person and … Read more>>
By Helen Ross In this blog post, 25-year-old guest blogger Helen Ross shares her story of struggling with anxiety, depression, and crippling panic attacks as a young adult attending college and playing competitive sports. According to the American Institute of Stress, anxiety and depression are the two most common reasons that college students seek mental … Read more>>
By Erin Carey I created FACES of Narcolepsy in 2017 when I joined forces with four other moms from across the U.S. to fill a need in the pediatric narcolepsy community, but FACES of Narcolepsy truly began when my sister was diagnosed with narcolepsy with cataplexy 10 years earlier. My sister’s diagnosis of this rare autoimmune … Read more>>
By Sheryl Brehm All of my childhood memories have to do with being the “fat kid.” It started at two years old when I learned the word “chubby.” I didn’t know what it meant, but I remember not liking the laughing that came with it. In summer camp, I remember waddling up to the stage … Read more>>
By Stephen Mellott I’m an adult with ADHD. I’ve been fortunate enough to have a rewarding career as a product manager for the last 32 years. I earned my bachelor’s degree in business and went back to school in 2012 and earned my MBA. I made a career move to a completely new industry four … Read more>>
By Ashlee Olsen In 2004, about six weeks after giving birth to my son, I developed my first symptom of neuromyelitis optica (NMO), a rare condition where the immune system damages the spinal cord and the optic nerves. One morning, I woke up and couldn’t see out of my right eye. I visited the local … Read more>>
By Sylvia Groves I am 68 years old and live in a rural area in a fairly remote location in the United Kingdom. My health had always generally been good. I got plenty of exercise outdoors, did physical work, and ate a very healthy diet, including a wide variation of fruits and vegetables daily. I … Read more>>
By Stephanie Westlake I have lived with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) since I was a young child, although I did not get diagnosed until I had a breakdown from chronic anxiety at the age of 18. My first symptom was apparent when I was a child and a friend of my mother’s commented that I had … Read more>>
By Sandie Briar With ill health comes a newfound strength that gives an insight into the real me. I see things now that need mastering so I can live a half-decent life. I’m 68 years old and have followed my maternal grandmother and mother with osteoarthritis that manifests in our hands and wrists leaving us … Read more>>
By Barbara Kelly My name is Barbara, I have been married to Richard for 40 years; he is my rock. Having lived on the North Shore of Long Island, we retired to coastal South Carolina in 2009 without a plan, not knowing a soul in town. Never big on planning for the future, we are … Read more>>