Adapt-ability, not dis-ability — In 2009 Dr. Rip Kinkle (no kidding, his real name) diagnosed me with Multiple Sclerosis. “You’ve had MS for at least 25 years. You’re a master adapter, but your symptoms broke through your adaptions. It’s time to treat.” …

Duane Reynolds of the Just Health Collective reflects on a layered approach to combating racism. Individuals drive organizations that live within systems. Proem In 1960 I discovered that I didn’t belong. I was eight. My parents supported Kennedy for President. Everyone else’s parents supported Nixon. My eyes opened. My family was…

26 patient advocates from the Healthe Voices 2022 conference describe the moment when they realized health was fragile. Snapshots of diverse lived experiences. Proem Hi. Each of us can remember a moment, an event, or a time in our life when we realized the fragility of health. The first question I…

Dr. Kiame Mahaniah, CEO, values his FQHC staff; feels for pts’ life challenges; understands what he can control & can’t; & weeps for under-realized potential. Proem As a student of leadership, I relish experiencing, hearing about and from good, no great, leaders. I worked for several. Sometimes I was one. What…

Building a powerhouse advocacy org for young adults with chronic conditions, Sneha Dave shares her path & vision: skill building, peer support, events, policy. Proem In my first professional job as a Visiting Nurse in Holyoke, MA, in 1976, I wanted to establish a walking practice in the inner city. Veterans…

Chat with Isabelle Barbour, Truth teller Consulting, about partnerships, community advocacy, privilege, disparities, trust, and being your best self. Proem A community learned that theirs’ was the county with the country’s most pedestrian/auto accidents and deaths per capita. People came together, identified high-risk intersections, and began to study traffic patterns. Some…

Research matters to people where they live, work, play, worship, and learn. What questions do they ask? Will Parente, a bridge between firefighters and research Proem My son, eight or nine years old, called me at work. “Dad, everybody’s OK, but you need to come home. There’s been a fire.” I…

BUILD provides opportunities for young adults to find their footing and self-confidence through entrepreneurship. We need them. Betsy Neptune tells us more. Proem I feel joy when my many worlds overlap, collide, and mush together. Upon reflection, of course, how could they not? Health touches everything, especially in its absence. Music…