Inspiring Patient Leader Kim Nash on Our PL Certification and How Advocacy Changed Her Life

Since we launched the Patient Leader Certification in 2023, we've had hundreds of Patient Leaders expand their knowledge base with the program. The Patient Leader Certification Program is the only one of its kind. Created for Patient Leaders – like you – to help you make your mark in the healthcare space. It can help sharpen your message, extend your reach, avoid pitfalls, own your voice, discover your path, and so much more.

Recently, we spoke with NASHdisease.net advocate Kim Nash. Kim is also President of The Bonnie Morgan Foundation, and the host of "The Chronic Truth Podcast," and an avid liver health advocate--Kim was diagnosed with hepatitis C after a blood transfusion. She recently completed the Patient Leader Certification and we wanted to catch up with her, hear about her advocacy work, and about how the certification helped expand her advocacy.

SHN.com: Could you tell us how you got involved in health advocacy?

Kim Nash: I got into health advocacy in 2010. After being diagnosed with end stage liver disease from hepatitis C, I felt so alone. There was no support for those suffering with hep C. In fact, it was really a taboo disease, as the stigma was linked to drug use. So, if anyone was diagnosed with it, they kept quiet, leading to more isolation and shame. I went on (and failed) the then only regime to cure hep C at a 50/50 chance. Those antiviral drugs were called interferon and ribavirin, and I was still managing to do it alone as there was still no real support.

It was not until I landed a clinical trial (which cured me) that I came up with the idea of my foundation which I named after my mother that passed in 2006 from hep C. Here, I put a face to the disease. I was middle-aged woman, business owner, had children, and did not look sick. I wanted to share that this disease does not discriminate. I named the foundation after the last words my mom spoke to me which were: “Kim, you do this not without a FIGHT!”

With that, it became the motto of my foundation where we raise funds to get printed material out to doctors' offices, city events, schools, or anyone needing more information on hep C and what it is. Fast forward to 2024, we revamped the foundation now to include ALL liver diseases. It has been my experience that no matter what kind of liver disease you are diagnosed with, the symptoms are the same.

Mid-2024 I launched a new podcast “The Chronic Truth Podcast.” My idea was to get various health conditions on the show to share about their life with a chronic condition. I am also featuring health practitioners on the show. I want a variety of ways someone trapped alone in their home can feel connected with someone else fighting pain, chronic illness, etc. I wanted to give positive encouraging ways to gain power over their health condition. I truly believe what we put into our minds our bodies react. So, if we wake up negatively, we are only adding to that pain level that is constant. I love advocating and am always coming up with something new.

Is advocacy your career or your "side hustle?"

Advocacy has become my life in all respects. I do have my “day” job working for a medical imaging facility, but I do take time off to do my advocacy work. For myself, having that part-time job so to speak is my way of giving myself a timeout from advocacy so I don’t get burnt out. I can do all things needed with my schedule this way to lead my team on the foundation and my podcast, without getting overwhelmed. Plus, at the imagining center, I am blessed to meet others fighting chronic health conditions and lead them to sites for support.

How do you balance your time between your job, your podcast "The Chronic Truth," and your work with The Bonnie Morgan Foundation?

I balance my time by first listening to my own body and what it needs from me to take care of Kim, first and foremost. I have scheduled work hours for the imaging center that I commit to, and the podcast I do in the evenings and weekends. I monitor the foundation daily on my breaks at work and when I get home I answer questions and send information to those that reach out, or I direct them to my team to handle.

I am one who tends to have a big heart and wants to help everyone. It is those certain cases that keep me awake at night thinking and praying over. So, for those ones, I really make sure I do something like sending a quick note letting them know I got their email and I will get back to them tomorrow.

I have block off time for myself and time with my husband. I do all these things prior to 7pm at night. After that, it is my time to pamper myself or catch a movie with my husband, whatever. But I give myself "me” time. If I wake up on any given day, and I am not feeling well, I make sure I am giving myself grace that day. It is ok to say no some days. It is ok to not want to do anything. Once you give yourself this grace, you will see how fast you are back up and running again.

What has advocacy brought to your life?

Advocacy has given me lifelong friendships with others fighting serious health conditions. It has connected me to the most remote person who is alone and struggling. Being a health advocate has enriched my life in ways I didn’t know possible. Knowing that by sharing my own struggle of fighting a chronic condition can bring connection and understanding with another human is truly a blessing. I am very humble when people say to me that I saved their life. In fact, it tears me up writing this. (let me get a tissue).

Because I do not do this for praise or notoriety, I do this because I was that woman behind the computer screen googling my health condition, feeling alone, scared and isolated. I never want anyone out there to feel what I did in the beginning of my journey. That is why every email, every call, every podcast my last words are NOT WITHOUT A FIGHT! Together WE are STRONG.

You recently completed our online Patient Leader Certification (PL Cert). Could you share a few things about the program that you found particularly helpful?

The certification program I admit was very overwhelming to think about doing in the beginning. Let’s face it... finding time, space, and mental clarity to do something that seemed so in depth can be overwhelming. BUT...and here is my BUT..... when I took that time needed to invest in my advocacy work by doing the program, I found it VERY easy and not so intimidating. It is something I promise if you invest in yourself and your work, you can do this and be certified.

So many helpful tools for me were in there, like learning to take a break for myself. Advocacy is a demanding field, and I too experienced burnout and so the tools they offered in this program I have put to into my work.

Another lesson for myself was putting my story in a more direct a clear way. Sure, I know what I have lived through all my experiences, etc. But, learning tools to put it out there for others to understand my why, my goal, my obstacles helped me get finer tuned into my podcast now.

If you could give advice to anyone who is looking to get started on their advocacy journey, what would it be?

DO it. If you are thinking your personal story and journey is not worth sharing or getting out there...you are wrong. You never know whose life you will be touching, whose life is mimicking yours. They need you. They need you to step up and share your journey so they can learn from you and the seek help that you found, or even reach out to you personally to thank you.

I never regret the day I went live on PBS NewsHour sharing my face to the world that I was fighting hepatitis C. I was scared to death. I was admitting to the WORLD I had that STIGMATIZED disease. And trust me I wanted to back out and came up with all the reasons to do so, but that little voice that spoke to my soul said “Kim, you are a born leader and fighter since your historic birth. Put your self-conscious feeling aside, and go shine.”

Today I have been advocating for over 14 years, almost 15, and not a day goes by I regret ANYTHING about it. Be a blessing to others and get passed that voice holding you back. The world needs your story...GO SHARE IT !

Start your journey and complete the Patient Leader Certification today.