Did you know that 1.7 million Americans sustain a traumatic brain injury each year? Or that the term includes any type of blow, bump or jolt to the head or penetrating head injury that disrupts normal brain function?
March is Brain Injury Awareness Month, a time for reinforcing the seriousness of head injuries, given that traumatic brain injuries are a contributing factor in a third of all injury-related deaths in the US. In addition, 3.1 million individuals are living with life-long disability as a result of a traumatic brain injury. Some common causes of these injuries are falls, car accidents, workplace accidents and assaults, but the effects can vary greatly from person to person. No two brain injuries are alike.
Are you living with a traumatic brain injury? Share your symptom and treatment histories with the 500+ members of PatientsLikeMe’s traumatic brain injury community and discuss your experiences in our Injuries and Traumas Forum. In addition, consider raising awareness in your area by getting involved with the Brain Injury Global Picnic, which takes place September 21, 2013. The goal is to organize 1,000 picnics around the world – thus setting the Guinness World Record for the most people picnicking in a 24-hour period – to promote awareness, education and change.
First off, however, you may have heard of something called bipolar II as well, so let’s talk about how bipolar I and II differ. Bipolar I is a subdiagnosis of bipolar disorder that conforms to the classic concept of manic-depressive illness. It is characterized by at least one manic or mixed episode, and there may be episodes of hypomania (marked by elevated mood, hyperactivity and grandiosity) and major depression as well. In contrast, bipolar II disorder – which is slightly more prevalent at PatientsLikeMe with 1,556 patients reporting it – is marked by depressive episodes that are more frequent and more intense than the manic episodes.
Now, let’s take a look at the wealth of data found at PatientsLikeMe. To give you a sense of the makeup of our bipolar I patients, 74% are female, more than 78% have an official bipolar I diagnosis, and approximately 40% report experiencing their first symptom prior to the age of 19. What exactly are the symptoms of this condition? Some of the most commonly reported include delusions, excitability, flight of ideas, grandiose thinking, hallucinations, irritability and paranoia. As you can see, most of these speak to the “manic” side of bipolar I disorder, which involves “excitement of psychotic proportions” as well as hyperactive, disorganized behavior.
As Andrea’s interview yesterday revealed, treating bipolar I disorder can mean treating both mania and depression simultaneously. Further, our patient-reported data shows that the two prescription medications she takes currently – lithium for mania and Lamictal for depression – are among the most commonly prescribed treatments for bipolar I patients, along with individual therapy and Seroquel. How well do these treatments work? Click on each treatment name to read our patients’ evaluations of their effectiveness, side effects, cost and more.
Finally, much can also be learned directly from the experiences our patients share on their profiles, treatment evaluations or forum posts. We leave you with several patient quotes from our Mental Health and Behavior Forum that help to fully illuminate life with bipolar I disorder:
“My manias last for about three to four months and are followed by depressions that tend to also last three to four months. Mine is the classic form of the disease with manias characterized by hallucinations, grandiosity, and impulsivity, and depressions characterized by fatigue, guilt, and somatic concerns.”
“The condition is every part of me as anything else. My choice to treat it arises from the consequences of living with bipolar in a non-bipolar world and not because I am broken and in need of repair. Bipolar “disorder”, well, whose order am I in disarray?”
“Now I’m a little manic. I know what you mean about relentless depressions. I have those too. At the other end of the spectrum, I become psychotic. That’s the part that really frightens me and usually lands me in the hospital, or worse.”
“A month ago, I truly would have been leveled by all this drama. I’ve come quite a distance in a short period of time. You guys give me such strength. I know that with your help, I can make it through life’s ups and downs while keeping mine under control.”
If you’ve got something to share about bipolar I as well, join the conversation today!
Now that daylight savings time has ended, the days are shorter, and before you know it, it’s nightfall. Has this affected your mood?
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), also known as seasonal depression, is a condition marked by a period of depression that occurs during the same season year after year. In most cases, that season would be fall through winter (when there is less sunlight), but for some people, SAD can occur during spring or summer.
One of the best ways to learn “what’s normal and not normal?” with SAD is to compare your experiences with other patients. There are 123 patients with SAD at PatientsLikeMe, with 85% of them female and 15% male. A commonly reported treatment is light therapy, or the use of a special light box that exposes you to bright light. This mimics the effect of natural outdoor light and appears to cause a change in brain chemicals that positively affects your mood. (Does it really work? Check out the 27 treatment evaluations for light therapy that our patients have submitted.)
“My symptoms tend to be worsening depression and anxiety. There are no ‘indicator’ symptoms for me – meaning I don’t realize necessarily ‘Oh I’m starting to feel SAD, crap!’ But all of my Major Depressive Episodes (five so far since I was 20) have occurred in November and December. And looking back, I can see a downward trend in especially depressive symptoms getting worse starting in mid October – such as depressed mood, more frequent crying spells, fatigue, worse insomnia, headaches worsen, weight and appetite changes, and urges to self-injure. Three of my Major Depressive Episodes led to suicidal thoughts and short hospitalizations. The other two, I had frequent suicidal thoughts but did not feel in danger of acting upon them.” – Member with panic disorder
“[Symptoms are] mild now, but they ran the spectrum from comatose to the walking functional. Kids don’t understand, and our school bus arrived at 6:00 a.m. Needless to say they weren’t hungry, food on the bus = school contraband, so I’d whip up scrambled eggs with cheese and wrap them in a taco shell and tell them to sneak a bite when they got hungry. They just threw them in the bushes for the local dogs to eat. Then I’d watch TV and answer the ever increasing phone calls all day long. If I felt OK, I’d start to prepare for the tornado that was spring. Nowadays since I don’t have so much responsibility, my symptoms seem mild, but that could change depending on the winds of life events.” – Member with bipolar II disorder
“I think it varies year to year in terms of severity. The March/April period is characterized by an increase in my anxiety levels together with restlessness and restrictive eating. The September/October period is characterized by an increase in my feelings of sadness along with intense carbohydrate cravings and a need to sleep more. Both periods are marked by problems concentrating. I notice that the light box really helps with the carbohydrate cravings. I think it might even make me less hungry overall. It’s not that the cravings go away entirely, but instead they are dampened to the level where I *don’t* find myself eating cookies without realizing how I got them.” – Member with major depressive disorder
What does it mean to be “seizure smart”? It means being knowledgeable about how to help in the event that someone has a seizure in your presence. Given that one in 100 Americans has epilepsy – and one in 10 adults will have a seizure sometime during their life – this type of basic seizure first aid could help save someone’s life at work, at a restaurant or just walking down the street.
In honor of Epilepsy Awareness Month, the National Epilepsy Foundation has created a short interactive quiz that helps you become “seizure smart.” The goal is to get five million Americans to take and distribute the quiz. Once you’ve gotten “seizure smart,” you can then help raise awareness and proudly post your completion certificate on Facebook for everyone to see.
Got an affinity for posting things on Facebook anyway? You’re the perfect candidate for the Get Seizure Smart Photo Contest. Categories include “Funniest or Silliest,” “Most Impactful,” “Best Animal” and more. All photos must be submitted by November 30th at 3 p.m. EST. Learn about other Epilepsy Awareness Month activities taking place each day of the month here.
At PatientsLikeMe, we have 4,456 patients who report having epilepsy, with 71% of them female and 29% of them male. Some of the most commonly reported symptoms include excessive daytime sleepiness, headaches and memory problems, while some of the most commonly reported treatments include Levetiracetam (Keppra), Lamotrigine (Lamictal) and Topiramate (Topamax). (Click the links for each of these anticonvulsant medications to read hundreds of treatment evaluations submitted by our patients, who share their experiences with dosages, side effects, efficacy, costs and more.)
If you have epilepsy, join our growing community to share treatment data, support and advice with those who can relate. For everyone else, get “seizure smart” and help make a difference today – and quite possibly in the future.
Affecting 5% of those with diabetes, type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas does not produce any insulin, a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy for the body. As a result, people with type 1 diabetes are “insulin dependent,” meaning they must take insulin in order to stay alive. This requires testing their blood sugar and taking insulin (via injection or an insulin pump) multiple times per day for the rest of their lives.
In contrast, type 2 diabetes patients do produce insulin. The problem is that it’s either in insufficient amounts, or the body doesn’t respond to it as it should. Thus, oral medications, supplemental insulin and/or lifestyle modifications such as diet and exercise may be prescribed to help control blood sugar levels and prevent hyperglycemia (high blood sugar), which is a major cause of serious diabetes complications such as blindness, kidney failure and amputations.
Here at PatientsLikeMe, there are currently 386 patients reporting type 1 diabetes, with 63% female and 37% male. Some of the most commonly reported symptoms include blurry vision, urinary frequency and excessive thirst, while some of the most commonly reported treatments are Insulin Glargine, Insulin Lispro and Insulin Aspart. Collectively, our members have submitted 45 evaluations of these three insulin types, sharing their experiences with dosage, side effects, cost, adherence and more.
Confusion about the differences between type 1 and type 2 diabetes – the latter being far more prevalent as well as strongly linked with the obesity epidemic – is a frustration for some of our type 1 members. As one member writes in our forum:
“As a type 1 diabetic, I am sick of people giving me advice or ‘cures’ that are for type 2. Almost all advertising in Canada is directed towards type 2 diabetics and how the disease is on the increase due to poor eating habits and obesity, weight problems, whatever. So when people hear I am a diabetic, I get: ‘Should you really be eating that dear, diabetics should not eat sugar.’ I look at them and think of the blood test I just did, which let me know that I needed some sugar.”
Indeed, as the JDRF states on its Myths and Misconceptions page, “While obesity has been identified as one of the ‘triggers’ for type 2 diabetes, it has no relation to the cause of type 1 diabetes. Scientists do not yet know exactly what causes type 1 diabetes, but they believe that both genetic and environmental factors are involved. Eating too much sugar is not a factor.” Also, as the patient quote above illustrates, patients with type 1 diabetes must always be on alert for insulin-induced hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), which requires an immediate intake of sugar to avoid fainting and other complications.
For a deeper glimpse into life with type 1 diabetes – which is diagnosed in more than 15,000 children and 15,000 adults each year in the US – tune in to our podcast interview with Sarah Taylor, a registered nurse and friend of the company who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of nine.
To learn about other American Diabetes Month events, check out this great preview on the blog Diabetes Mine. And if you’re a diabetes patient, don’t forget to share your thoughts and stories at CallingAllTypes.com.
“When you have a child with special needs, you really start to feel like you’re constantly the squeaky wheel as you advocate for your child. After a while, you start to wonder…’is it me?’ But I’ve already found several other parent advocates who are going through the same thing.”
- Autism Caregiver
It’s Autism Awareness Month as well as IBS Awareness Month! Now that PatientsLikeMe has opened its doors to any patient with any condition, it’s amazing to see how many patients have joined our site in such a little amount of time. As we continue to add new members and conditions daily, helping us to expand beyond our recent milestone of over 100,000 members, here are some facts about autism and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) from our members.
Autism
Membership
PatientsLikeMe already has over 100 members with autism, even though autism patients and caregivers could only join PatientsLikeMe starting at the beginning of April.
What are the top treatments?
Autism patients are using more than 150 treatments, including prescription drugs, supplements, over-the-counter medications, medical devices, lifestyle modifications, therapies, etc.
PatientsLikeMe already has over 270 patients with IBS, even though, like autism, IBS patients could only join PatientsLikeMe starting at the beginning of April.
What are the top treatments?
IBS patients are using more than 600 treatments, including prescription drugs, supplements, over-the-counter medications, medical devices, lifestyle modifications, therapies, etc.
With more than 82,000 patients on PatientsLikeMe, there’s a lot of information being shared with one another. Last month, we highlighted how your sharing affects the experience of many on our site (One For All series).
Today, we continue that theme by taking a look at information being shared across all of our communities that many of you may have in common. Can you guess how many of you are on similar treatments or experiencing similar symptoms even though you are in different communities? Read on to find out.
DID YOU KNOW…
Of the members who have reported their age, more than 8,000 of our of you have indicated you’re under 30-years old and more than 12,000 are 55-years old or older.
You report using more than 4,500 treatments for your conditions, including prescription drugs, supplements, over-the-counter medications, medical devices, life-style modifications, therapies, etc.
The most widely used prescription drugs reported across communities include Gabapentin (Neurontin), Glatiramer acetate (Copaxone) and Duloxetine (Cymbalta).
Some of most frequently “tagged” topics in the forum include research, symptoms (e.g., pain), SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance), coping strategies and side effects.
A special thank you to all of our members for continuing to share your data and experiences to help others just like you.
Posted by Lori Piscatelli Scanlon | December 22, 2010
In December community newsletters (launched earlier this week), we asked some of our members to think about what they’ve shared and compared in 2010. Below are highlighted answers from each interviewee across all nine community newsletters. Thank you for your contributions.
We also want to thank all of you who have contributed to the 90 newsletters we ran this year, including the newly launched ones in our Epilepsy and Transplants communities. Finally, a special thanks goes out to our newsletter writer, Amy Morton, for pulling these together every month.
PatientsLikeMe has provided me with new friends-people who are experiencing the same problems as I am. I’ve learned that there isn’t a single question that won’t get a vast myriad of answers from the community. I’ve learned that we’re all very different people, and I’ve learned we don’t always agree. I’ve learned that we all care enormously for each other and are very eager to help those who find themselves in the same boat as we are. But most of all I’ve learned that I am not on my own. I’m not the only one facing a bleak future and not the only one who is able to appreciate what he has at the moment.
I really like it here in that I can keep track of all my meds with their side effects, etc. Plus I like it that I can list symptoms and have a history of all of it to review and learn from and share with my doctors. I hope that my input on meds, therapies, etc., helps other people. It is good not to be alone.
It has given me the experience of reading about others who are in situations similar to mine. It has shown me that I am not alone. I love reading the newsletters and the comments from other readers. It also helps to keep me up-to-date on any new suggestions or treatments.
Also, I became acquainted with someone online through PatientsLikeMe. We actually live in the same town, both work in the field of Education and have had Parkinson’s for the same length of time. Getting together with her was a pleasure, and she introduced me to the idea of meeting with a support group, which I had never done before.
It is invaluable. I find the Symptoms and Treatments areas so helpful. I have learned (from genuine people who are taking these meds) that some of my “quirky” side effects and sufferings from the meds I take can and do happen to others and are not imaginary. (My general practitioner and Consultant just brush the list aside and shrug their shoulders).
I have learned that I am not alone with my illnesses, which is good to know, and I have also learned that there is “light at the end of the tunnel.” I try to keep my profile as up to date as possible in the hope that it will be helpful to at least one or two members. I rate my Daily Mood [now called InstantMe] at least five days per week and always complete my Mood Map, again for the same reasons.
Well done PatientsLikeMe and its members. Keep going, you are doing really good work and long may it continue.
I love organization and having PatientsLikeMe help me to organize all of my medical information. I would like to have an ability to log simple notes on the PatientsLikeMe profile so every time I go to my doctor I can make some general notes (if needed) for that visit on my experience and what was covered with my provider.
(Note that all users can now use InstantMe to add notes/annotations to your Doctor Visit Sheet)
PatientsLikeMe has been such an encouragement to me, not only in what others have given to me through sharing their stories, but also by opening up a window for me to be an encourager also. I love the newsletters that are super reminders of how to not get off track, and also how to be good to myself.
I think I have been pretty good at sharing, but this has been one new method, especially with some of the health issues with others facing similar situations. In the past I have answered questions for people who had their first seizure or just questions, but with this site, I am able to communicate with others who have had the same operations, take the same medications, etc., and really understand things better (from a different perspective).
PatientsLikeMe has helped me so incredibly much! I’ve made so many friends that I thank God for every day. It’s just like, no matter what you have or haven’t had transplanted, whichever organ you need or have, everyone on here understands you and what you’re going through.
I just really hope that people can say that about me. It took me awhile, but no one is alone out there. Everyone is going through their own personal struggles. I just want everyone to know I am all ears!
In honor of this month’s Mental Illness Awareness Week, here’s a snapshot of what’s happening in our PatientsLikeMe Mood community. Launched in 2008, the community now has more than 18,000 patients. Below are some interesting facts about the community, so please read and share on!
DID YOU ALSO KNOW…
You can search for patients under 15+ diagnosis categories, including depression, bipolar, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, addiction to tobacco, addiction to alcohol, eating disorder and more.
Patients are using more than 1700 treatments, including prescription drugs, supplements, over-the-counter medications, life-style modifications, therapies, and more.
The top lifestyle modification reported by our patients is positive self talk; and sleep is the #1 exercise cited.
Some of the top topics “tagged” in our forum discussions to date include specific treatments (like Lamictal, Lithium, Wellbutrin and Seroqul), as well as borderline personality disorder, coping, anger and journaling.
Did you know that yesterday was Fibromyalgia Awareness Day?
The PatientsLikeMe Fibromyalgia community is growing exponentially with more than 3400+ members just five months after its launch! Many of our members are feeling newly empowered by their membership in our community and are attending events, wearing pins and ribbons and taking the time to spread awareness about what it’s like to live with fibromyalgia.
This sharing mirrors the sharing they do on the site. At PatientsLikeMe, members build their profiles by sharing information about their condition, such as symptoms and treatments. Top treatments cited to date include rest, heating pads, walking, stretching and the drug Lyrica. The most commonly listed symptom is pain, followed by fatigue, memory problems and lower back pain. In addition to sharing health information, patient members also share their personal experiences and tips with each other. In our forum these past few months, patients have discussed all kinds of topics, including finding the right doctor, coping with pain and fatigue and how to explain how they really feel to their friends and family.
With all this sharing, patients are learning more about themselves, helping each other better understand this condition, and improving their overall quality of life. In fact, in a recent survey amongst some of our members with fibromyalgia, 85% of our respondents agreed or strongly agreed with the statement – “I feel better about myself because of the recognition by others at PatientsLikeMe that my condition is real.”
If you are not already sharing and learning with other patients like you, we invite you to join our community here at PatientsLikeMe.
Posted by Lori Piscatelli Scanlon | April 10, 2009
Sharing. It’s a concept we all learn at a very young age. Oftentimes reminisced as happening in the sandbox, we think back to our young selves giving up what we hold most dear (in this case, some cheap plastic toy) to allow someone else to benefit from it. It seems so simple and obvious, but how many toddlers do you know that immediately give into the concept…easily handing over that toy without a moment of hesitation or a slight tug back or possibly the more extreme screaming tantrum? Over time, what happens is that the more they share, the more they see it puts a smile on their friends’ face, or gives them something in common to “chat” about.
You don’t need to be clairvoyant to see where I’m going with this. Sharing is at the core of PatientsLikeMe, and it’s what makes our communities so special. More than 32,000 patients are online sharing something they hold dear — details about their health — so that others can see it, learn from it, and dialogue about it. It’s truly inspirational and something we believe is transforming healthcare as we know it.
But sharing doesn’t have to stop there. From a marketing perspective, one of the most widely used and successful viral tactics is the “Share This” button. You see it everywhere online – blogs, news articles, videos, and more. We just recently implemented it across our site, so patients can “Share This” treatment or symptom report, press releases, research findings, etc. It’s an easy way to pass that “toy” across the cyber-sandbox to others who might learn or benefit from it.
It’s nice every once in a while to think back to what we learned as kids and figure out a way to incorporate those values into our adult lives. Sharing is just one of those things.
So you weren’t the type to share your toys? Feel like you share too much? Comments are welcome below.
This month marks the 3-year anniversary of our flagship ALS community. While there have been so many exciting milestones we’ve reached in that time, we’re always looking at ways to bring new insight to this disease.
Today, we’re announcing the launch of our Genetics Search Engine for people with ALS. Imagine finding other patients just like you, down to the genetic level. Patients in our ALS community can now do that. (For patients who don’t see their genetic mutation right now, that’s alright. They can be the first with that genetic mutation to join our community and share information about the disease.)
What does sharing genetics mean for research? By capturing data on familial ALS patients’ known genetics (such as SOD1 A4V, SOD1 D90A, and VAPB P56S), we can learn more about the cause and effects of every kind of ALS and better our chances of advancing research and finding new treatments. Our goal in launching the Genetics Search Engine (and other upgrades like it) is to help patients find others just like them and enhance our understanding of the phenotype of each genetic mutation (i.e., different causes of ALS have faster or slower disease progression).
The Genetics Search Engine is a major step toward incorporating genetics for the PatientsLikeMe communities, and it’s an exciting one. Give it a try and let us know what you think…
Posted by Lori Piscatelli Scanlon | March 23, 2009
A year ago today, PatientsLikeMe launched our combined Mood community for patients with depression, anxiety, bipolar, obesessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. It was first announced to the world in Thomas Goetz’s article, Practicing Patients, featured in New York Times Magazine.
Since then, more than 8,700 patients have joined the community, sharing detailed information about their symptoms, treatments and overall progress to learn more about themselves and others. Besides specific drug therapies (like Clonazepam or Lamotrigine), did you know many patients cite Listening to Music and Journal Writing as top treatments as well? Check out what they have to say.
Do you have problems concentrating? That’s the number one symptom reported by our members. Other top symptoms include muscle tension, headaches, back pain and stomach pain.
In the coming weeks, we will continue to share some interesting tidbits about the community, including some powerful personal stories straight from our members. Stay tuned!
(David) When were you diagnosed with fibromyalgia and when were your first symptoms?
(Minnie) I was diagnosed in late 2002. However, my first symptoms started as early as 1998, and then became more prevalent and frequent in late 2000.
(David) How has fibromyalgia changed your life?
(Minnie) On its onset, the changes were negative. I couldn’t engage in my usual social activities and I was getting sick more often than I was used to. It was a shock to me, having always been such a healthy person all my life. I limited myself even further using my “strangely named illness” as a crutch, which led me to be even more dormant. That was early on.However, in the past 2-3 years, I have to say that fibromyalgia changed my life for the better. It has given me purpose in life – to improve my own life and help others improve theirs by example of exercise, healthy eating and proper treatments.That said, while I still manage a fairly active and busy lifestyle– from having a full-time job to training for triathlons– I did have to make certain adjustments in my life to make sure I can work within my limitations. First of all, I had to make the huge adjustment mentally to be ok with admitting that there are just certain things I can’t do. For a type A person like me, it was one of the most difficult things I had to change (and it took a while). I limit the number of errands I run in a day, even if I have a much longer list of things to do. I spread them out over several days – which requires planning some things ahead. To ensure I get good sleep (in both quality and quantity) to accommodate my training regimen, I make choices every day that make sleep and rest a priority. If this means limiting my social engagements and having to cancel certain commitments, so be it. I also had to make a mental shift at work to not get as affected by stressful situations, which has helped me greatly.
(David) What motivates you to train for triathlons and half-marathons?
(Minnie) There are three major factors that motivate me. First and foremost, this was my promise with God – to turn this negative situation around into a positive one. I made a promise to swim, bike and run to not only help myself but to help others find hope in their every day lives. Secondly, it is my fellow patients that motivate me to get up and moving. I know there are people out there whose conditions have gotten so bad that they cannot engage in any kind of exercise. I can’t imagine the pain and suffering they go through, and I want to dedicate my races to them, while giving hope to others that anything is possible. I know that these endurance races are a rather extreme measure to promote the benefits of exercise, but I think by doing something extreme I can make a better point about what we’re capable of. (If I can do a triathlon/half-marathon, you can definitely go for a walk and see how you feel!) Lastly, my motivation is my own past. Four to five years ago I was drowning in self-pity, dependent on muscle relaxants and pain killers, spending a lot of my leisure time in bed, and was frequently missing work enough to make me feel concerned about keeping my job. They were some of the darkest days of my life. Now, all I have to do is remember those days to get myself moving on a tough day.
(Minnie) Launching a community site for fibromyalgia on PatientsLikeMe has significant meaning. First of all, it adds to the recent recognition the illness has been gaining in the medical community. It is time for any discussion of this illness being real or not to be over and done with. Secondly, and more importantly, it has massive potential of being a crucial resource for patients that lack information and options about their conditions, by having every possible symptom and treatments laid out in one central source. Additionally, patients can and will find friends that understand what they go through (and we don’t have many of those, because fibromyalgia is still a foreign language to many people). Another amazing possibility is that this can be a great source for doctors, because knowledge and understanding of fibromyalgia among doctors can always be improved. This can be the perfect linkage between patients, their support system and health care professionals. I can’t help but be so enthused and excited about this endeavor PatientsLikeMe has set forth. They are bringing such a helpful platform of information and communication to the fibromyalgia community. Thanks!!!!
At PatientsLikeMe, people with every type of condition are coming together to share their health experiences, find patients like them and learn how to take control of their health. The result is improved care for patients as well as an acceleration of real-world medical research.
Stay tuned to our blog for the latest happenings with our company, our patients and our mission of opening up the healthcare system.
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Sharing. It’s a concept we all learn at a very young age. Oftentimes reminisced as happening in the sandbox, we think back to our young selves giving up what we hold most dear (in this case, some cheap plastic toy) to allow someone else to benefit from it. It seems so simple and obvious, but how many toddlers do you know that immediately give into the concept…easily handing over that toy without a moment of hesitation or a slight tug back or possibly the more extreme screaming tantrum? Over time, what happens is that the more they share, the more they see it puts a smile on their friends’ face, or gives them something in common to “chat” about.
