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What - Inspire is a place where you can connect with people who share your health concerns and find information and advice in groups sponsored by organizations you know and trust.
Why - As a member you can use Inspire to let friends and family know how you're doing, contact others who share your health concerns, receive personalized updates and information about participating in surveys and clinical trials, and more.
How - Joining Inspire is completely free and usually takes less than a minute. Join now!
Today Massachusetts General Hospital's Proto Magazine published a wonderful profile of nine Inspire members. Each of these stories underscores what we all know to be true -- that Inspire is a special place because of each of you.
Here is a link to the article: http://protomag.com/assets/online-medical-communities
Thank you,
Brian
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Dear Brain: Many thanks for the link. This is absolutely awesome!
Blessings!
Brooklynda
Hi Brian
Thanks for the link, we are definitly a community and we all reach out to others even if it is only once in a while or on a constant day to day basis. Those of us that are part of this community know that bond of information, positive thinking, support etc. This site has grown so o o o much since I first started on it and it is nice to see so many are really being helped by it myself included. Thank you
Mariann (MMB)
Woo-Hoo Colleen and Christina!
I just love to cyber-rub shoulders with celebrities! Great feature! Christina - you look SO different to your screen photo - great photo, you pretty young thing! - (if a tad sombre- hey, it's serious stuff, anyway!)
I think this feature article highlights a major shift in healthcare - the DIY potential for the general public to self-dx;rx;tx all from the comfort of one's pc- which is, as we know, often a scare-your-pants-off exercise!!
The true value is what we learn from each other - very often life-saving info, regarding diagnositc monitoring modalities/drug,surgery & treatment options, that are often not available,supplied or offered from our treating medical professionals.
Amongst us we have research professionals, nurses, doctors, scientists and various medical people that give guidance and valuable input.
But the most vital and precious thing for me, is the powerful bond of friendship - TRUE support- cyber hugs/prayers/love& strength I receive from our ABC group. We share our fears, and it lightens our load - to get us through another day.
Well done to all in the article!
xxxGGC
Wonderful article.....so cool to see some awesome sisters in there!!!Thanks for posting this.
tks
Thanks for this. When I first learned I might have OVCA, I didn't know a thing about it. It was through the online communities that I learned what to do and what questions to ask.
It's great to see that the medical researchers are finally tapping into the wealth of knowledge that can be found here.
Terrific publicity. Now if we could only make more doctors aware of this community......
Hi
my self from jaipur-rajasthan, diagnosed for DMD, i m 2 yeras old, pls guide when and what treatment i should start.
Dear Brian,
First of all I have been inspired with INSPIRE. Thank you so very much. I am new member and have CREST, and have met some wonderful people, who not unlike me are struggling with chronic and or life threatening illnesses. I have learned so much, hopefully have helped others, and have found comfort and friendship. Thank you for the beautiful and inspirational stories from members. I wish I had known about INSPIRE years ago. Wishing you , your family and INSPIRE THE BEST.
I-CARE
PUBLICITY. IT is a STEP. Everything begins w/small steps right? After all we crawl before we walk, right? IT is TIME we WALK.
Reading this correctly Mass. General has opened this door by putting into print the INSPIRE message!
Thank you Brian .....are you an editor for Proto Magazine or a medical professional (i.e., Dr.?)
Look behind the verbiage (words) ...researchers have only BEGUN to MINE the conversations for CLUES... about side effects & Poss. new treatments from VIRTUAL communities...etc. Whoaa!! THIS.....speaks volume's to ME!!!!!
(If you mine something you are beginning to try to unearth, look deeper into, put a face on.....RECOGNIZE).
My suggestions:
1) Order a copy.
2) Take it to your next appointment.
3) Share with your Dr. as how INSPIRE has contributed
to your overall support.
4) Hand it to him/her as you leave with the message...."I
hope you will take the time to read it. This forum
(INSPIRE) is invaluable to me & other's get support.
I hope you will find it INSPIRING.
5) S-m-i-l-e while handing it to him.
Should enough doctor's get on board and begin to harken back to their ideal as to why they became doctor's in the 1st place....this may INSPIRE them back to the days "when" they chose their profession.
It may reinvigorate their sense of sense of self which is critical to their sense of purpose and help to clarify their "complacency."
SOMETHING/SOMEONE .....needs to motivate & possibly this would create a "buzz" in the medical community.....because of you making aware this information.
Conventional medicine is what? An accepted FDA approved guideline. AKA (also known as) "standard of treatment for a specific diagnosis" - - i.e., be it a surgical procedure, chemo protocol, radiation, various tests, labs, etc. We "settle" in w/that because after all that's the accepted standard or protocol. We trust explicitly & value our doctor's opinions.....and b/c of the INTERNET ...we NOW - "question" ......these trusts.
No- - I am not saying that relationships are unimportant with our doctors. They are extremely important, however we need to address our concerns/issues further than 1 Opinion. Why else are we all gathered together on this site? B/C we need answers. And this site offers "mining"... with NO bias or hidden agenda.
But AWARENESS proves time and time again ----- CHANGE. It's time for this Alligator Wrestling Community ....to put on a new face to get other's embrace CHANGE.
I am contacting Mass. Gen today to see if it is available in quantities. You know as a ADVOCATE....I just will not rest until we garner attention to this insidious snapping disease......and although I cry at the slightest emotional twinges of my daughter not being present.....I also move toward raising awareness that seems at times "OUT of REACH". Many people think that CA is not the death sentence is once was. But .....then they don't visit this site do they?
So we need to educate....and that's exactly what awareness does.
I'm watching Genetech and what they're doing regarding being on the CA frontier....for research. BUT ...remember before Herceptin they did not want to be a part of this ongoing research as it was $$$ issue. THANKFULLY.....that mentality has changed.
This Candle is lit at both ends and
championing for better "tomorrows."
Tara
Very nice Brian. Glad to see people benefiting from one another and medicine realizing that they can learn from patients. Thanks for sharing info.
Thanks Colleen and Christina for speaking for those of us with Stage IV breast cancer!!
Yahoo! Way to go Colleen and Christina! This is the best place for support and it's great that the word is getting out thanks to you. The bonds sure do run strong on this site!
I am so blessed to see Inspire.com getting the recognition it deserves,
its been THE PLACE for me.
I am so thankful
God Bless
That was a great article Brian. I hope that they look at those with gastroparesis as we our out here waving in the wind trying to find direction for diet and help. What some do for diet will not work for others so it is trial and error process for all of us.
Brian: Thanks for sharing that article from PROTO -- the word is getting out on what a great site this is.
Also, in that issue of PROTO, there are some great articles on cancer that can be accessed at the "featured articles" section just to the right of those nine fantastic Inspire members.
It is great to BE INSPIRED !!
Warmest Wishes - Best of Success - Mickeral
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