S7, Ep 13- Celebrating Lupus Awareness Month with New York City Council Member Shahana Hanif

In honor of Lupus Awareness Month and Lupus Day of Action in New York City, we’re joined by New York City Council Member Shahana Hanif. Council Member Hanif shares about her life as a lupus patient and how her condition informs her work as a member of the city council. She underscores the importanc…

S7, Ep 12- The Balancing Act of Chronic Illness with Shonta Chambers

We’re joined by Shonta Chambers, who serves as the Executive Vice President-Health Equity Initiatives and Community Engagement for the Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF). Shonta explains how social drivers impact one’s health, including things such as housing and economic status. We dive into the ca…

S7, Ep 11- "Advocate for Yourself and Don't Give Up" with Cyndi Lauper and Michelle Bernstein

The Health Advocates are joined by singer, songwriter, actress, and activist Cyndi Lauper and chef and restauranteur Michelle Bernstein to talk about their journey with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Recently, the two of them have joined forces to bridge the worlds of music and cuisine to deliv…

S7, Ep 10- Beyond the Gut: Creating Change for LGBTQ+ IBD Patients with Dr. Carlton

Zoe and special co-host Adam Kegley, Associate Director of Global Partnerships at GHLF, are joined by San Diego-based gastroenterologist Carlton Thomas, MD, to learn all about LGBTQ+ health and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Dr. Carlton shares how not enough people are talking about sexual healt…

S7, Ep 9- “Obesity is a Disease” with Kristal Hartman from Obesity Action Coalition

We’re joined by Kristal Hartman who is a proud member of the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) and is honored to serve as the Chair of the OAC National Board of Directors. In this episode, we learn about her patient journey, including her bariatric surgery in August 2014, which she describes as the ha…

S7, Ep 8- Chronic Resilience: Jae Walker's Journey

In this episode we are joined by Jae Walker, who lives with multiple autoimmune diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and a rare neurological disease. Jae shares their emotional journey to diagnosis, offering advice for other people living with chronic illness on advocating for you…

S7, Ep 7- Measles Outbreak: A Look at Florida’s Response

Measles has been reported in about a dozen states across the U.S. this year. In this episode, we’re discussing Florida’s response to this recent outbreak, and why it’s not in the best interest of protecting public health. In the news recap, we give an update on our advocacy related to Prescription …

S7, Ep 6- New COVID Isolation Guidance? What Immunocompromised Need to Know

The Washington Post released a story that the CDC is considering replacing the COVID five-day isolation period guidance with staying home until 24 hours fever free and improving symptoms. In this episode, we’re breaking down all we do and don’t know so far about COVID, its impact, and this potentia…

S7, Ep 5- Health Equity and Black History Month: Breaking Down Barriers

Black History Month is a time to celebrate the great achievements and commemorate important Black heroes and events throughout our history. It’s also a time to reflect and raise awareness of racial and ethnic disparities across health care sectors. The Health Advocates are joined by Sarah Shaw, Se…

S7, Ep 4- Prescription Drug Affordability Boards: What Patients Need to Know

About half of U.S. adults say it is difficult to afford health care costs, and about one in five adults say they have not filled a prescription because of the cost. So, what can we do about lowering costs to ensure timely access to affordable care and treatment? In this episode, the hosts give us …