advocacy

At the Social Health Network, our job is to help support you as you grow from a patient or caregiver to a powerhouse in the community. We want to give...

Editor's Note: This piece has brief mentions of alcoholism and familial abuse. If you are a person living with fibromyalgia, it is very likely that you are also affected by...

Many of us in chronic disease communities are well connected on social media and often share our personal experiences with our health and bring awareness to our conditions and obstacles...

Kelly Cervantes is an award-winning writer, speaker, and advocate. We had the privilege of interviewing her in light of her upcoming book: Normal Broken: The Grief Companion for When it’s...

When you’re a seasoned patient, it can feel like a drag to meet a new doctor for the umpteenth time. But for any number of reasons, we patients often find...

The journey to begin advocacy can feel overwhelming. Many questions arise. How do I start? What do I say? Does anyone want to hear from me? We recently asked Social...

Burnout can be defined as a state of prolonged physical or mental stress. Its symptoms can include exhaustion, depression, anxiety, lack of joy doing activities that you previously enjoyed, and...

In the realm of healthcare advocacy and patient empowerment, the role of Patient Leaders has gained significant importance. Patient Leaders play a crucial role in advocating for the needs and...

Being a health advocate is such a powerful experience for a variety of reasons. To learn more about the ways this role has changed the lives of our Health Leaders...

After the initial shock of a chronic or terminal illness diagnosis, questions arise. What does this mean? How do I manage the symptoms? Can I afford my treatments and appointments?...

Health Leaders wear many hats. Some lead support groups, some advocate for their loved ones at the doctor's office, some work with legislatures to expand healthcare coverage, and more. In...

We were joined by panelists Olivia Salvo, Sarita Edwards, and Abigail Johnston as they discussed the differences, challenges, and opportunities they encountered while advocating for a terminal diagnosis versus a...

Behind advocates are people and resources that help them thrive. Family members or friends, apps or tools, each person’s supports are unique. The Social Health Network’s Facebook group recently asked...

We’re excited to announce our 2023 Social Health Awards finalists! It's been an incredible experience for our judges (and our team) to get to know our Health Leaders better through...

The Social Health Awards honor and recognize the efforts of patients and caregivers within their communities and at the industry level. Our Health Leaders constantly amaze us through their unique...

Editor's note: This article was written by Patient Leader Lisa Marie Basile, who writes and moderates on AxialSpondyloarthritis.net. You can read more of her articles on AxialSpondyloarthritis.net here. You can...

Recently we had the pleasure of interviewing Health Leader Hope Tocci, who wanted to share her experience living with Idiopathic Condylar Resorption. You can read her story below. I would...

The journey of advocacy takes many twists and turns. For some, it is easy to get started, while for others it takes time to find a niche. Reaching the point...

While she was first focused on patient leadership within the multiple sclerosis (MS) community, Kathy Reagan-Young realized she wanted to elevate her footprint as a Patient Leader and help others...

In this replay session, we aim to not only learn about medical gaslighting but also identify examples in our own lives when we have been gaslighted. We hear from Patient...