Articles

As an advocate focused mostly on healthcare policy and legislative advocacy, I am often asked how I connect with, and establish relationships with my legislators. Here are some of my...

As a Patient Leader, you've answered the call to help other patients and caregivers in your community. Day in and day out, you're entrenched in your community's conversation. By sharing...

As Mariah Carey once sang, “you’ve got me feeling emotions, deeper than I’ve ever dreamed of.” She was singing about a romantic relationship, but did I apply these wise thoughts...

It was during the Thanksgiving holiday in 2018 when I answered the phone. It was my oncologist. He told me my blood tests were positive for ovarian cancer. I was...

If I could go back to my June 2022 self and tell her what was around the bend: a cancer diagnosis, starting the search for my birth mother, the sudden...

My journey as a health care advocate started years ago when I became a CNA (Certified Nurses Assistant) I have always enjoyed helping others. As a teenager, I knew when...

To learn more about the challenges of living with chronic, rare, and terminal health conditions, we are conducting our In America survey. By taking our survey, you can bring awareness...

Healthcare advocacy as a Health Leader is deeply meaningful work--it can also quickly lead to burnout. Crafting effective health advocacy strategies requires not only your expert knowledge as a patient...

Patient advocacy can take many forms. Some examples are writing your senators in favor of research funding, leading a support group, or writing a blog. But with social media use...

The Health Union Patient Leader Certification Program offers a comprehensive toolkit for Patient Leaders seeking to elevate their impact in the healthcare space. During the Connexion Conference in 2023, Julie...

With the arrival of cold weather, the onset of darkness, and the start of the busy holiday season, a sense of vulnerability can be felt by many. This feeling may...

Living with a chronic illness comes along with a few facts of life - the first is that our experience of our illness is a deeply personal one. The second...

Through the Social Health Network, you’ll be able to learn a lot about branding yourself as a professional Health Leader. We want you to have endless opportunities to play your...

I have been living with chronic illnesses for over 20 years. I was diagnosed with lupus and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the prime of my life. As a black woman...

Twenty years ago, when I was first diagnosed with a lifelong illness, I would never have imagined what that diagnose would mean and how it would change my life. All...

So much of how we advocate involves storytelling and creating content that leaves a lasting impression. It can be overwhelming to know what topics to focus on, what information will...

Getting to know your local senators and representatives and getting involved in health policy advocacy is a great way to make a positive impact on your community and the healthcare...

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. By giving you the...

Time and time again, we hear the question, “How much should I charge for my patient advocacy expertise?” It’s an ongoing and worthy debate for patient advocates in the health...

If you are a person living with fibromyalgia, it is very likely that you are also affected by mental health. Due to stigmas and false perceptions about fibromyalgia, some people...