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Patient Stories

Connect with the authentic experiences of regular people who share their personal health journeys to inspire hope, foster empowerment, and offer insight into finding balance while navigating life as a patient.

2026 Champions

2024 Champions

Turning Pain Into Purpose

Turning Pain Into Purpose

When Racquel Dozier first began feeling ill, she had no idea how much persistence and resilience it would take for her to access treatment. What she did know, even in the uncertainty, was that her life was about to change—and that she would need to become her own...

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From Flaring to Flourishing: My Road to Remission

From Flaring to Flourishing: My Road to Remission

My First Signs of Ulcerative Colitis It was May 2018, the end of my senior year of college. I was going out with my friends to celebrate our remaining college days together. I had been accepted into graduate school to study for a master's degree in public policy and...

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Balancing Gratitude and Grief in a Life with Rare Disease

Balancing Gratitude and Grief in a Life with Rare Disease

Gratitude for a Swift Diagnosis Whenever I’m having a terrible day, I try to remind myself of something positive. One I often go back to is the amount of time it took for me to get diagnosed. It was remarkably swift. It took just two months from the onset of symptoms...

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Misdiagnosed at 17: The Cost of Not Being Heard

Misdiagnosed at 17: The Cost of Not Being Heard

The First Signs and the First Dismissal Picture this. You’re a 17-year-old girl who hasn’t been back to in-person school since March of 2020, during your sophomore year of high school. While most of your peers returned after the initial COVID-19 outbreak, you did not....

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One Foot in Front of the Other, Like a Mountain Goat

One Foot in Front of the Other, Like a Mountain Goat

I always say, “I was born an over-the-top optimist,” and I know this has shown in my chronic and rare disease journey. Sudden Paralysis, No Warning Ten days after my 40th birthday, I was suddenly paralyzed. I had some strange symptoms, my primary care provider was...

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We Shouldn’t Have to Choose Who Gets Treated

We Shouldn’t Have to Choose Who Gets Treated

I was diagnosed with a primary immune deficiency disorder in 1980, before anyone knew much at all about immune deficiencies. A man from my small town spent time at the NIH and received a diagnosis. As luck would have it, my mom was a huge advocate for me, and on...

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Walking Her Down the Aisle, and Through It All with MG

Walking Her Down the Aisle, and Through It All with MG

Before being diagnosed in 2019, I was very active. I still played tennis at a very high level and had attended a couple of USTA national championships a few years prior. I was still playing baseball and going to national tournaments in Arizona and Las Vegas. I had...

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2023 Champions

Patient Voice Spotlights

The Patient Voice: Dr. Nya Oglesby (Nya OG)

The Patient Voice: Dr. Nya Oglesby (Nya OG)

Dr. Nya Oglesby (Nya OG) Soon-to-be M.D. | Lupus & Rheumatoid Arthritis Advocate Diagnosis Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) – diagnosed at age 12 Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) & Sjogren's Social Media Links Instagram: @dr.nyaog TikTok: @dr.nyaog Facebook: Dr....

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The Patient Voice: Melinda Livermont

The Patient Voice: Melinda Livermont

What's the most unexpected thing you've learned about yourself since your diagnosis? After already living with chronic migraines for so long, becoming diagnosed with MS truly showed me and taught me just how resilient and strong I had become over the years. That even...

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The Patient Voice: Tonya Henry

The Patient Voice: Tonya Henry

Name: Tonya Henry Diagnosis? Gastroparesis, Primary Immunodeficiency, Dysautonomia, EDS, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, Asthma, Migraines Fun Fact? I love to bake but cannot eat it. Connect LinkedIn YouTube TikTok If your health journey could be summed up by a single...

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