All articles tagged with #advocacy
After their almost seven-year-old son Lincoln Rodgers battled brain cancer, a Cleveland family is urging blood donations to support pediatric cancer awareness and blood-drive advocacy.
Activists across generations gathered near Stonewall Inn for a die-in and protest against proposed federal cuts to HIV funding, including Medicaid work requirements, the Ryan White program, and CDC prevention. They warn that interruptions in health coverage and treatment could endanger viral suppression for millions, threaten testing and care, and jeopardize global efforts like Pepfar amid moves to dissolve USAID and tighten NIH HIV research funding. The campaign combines lobbying, legal challenges, and direct action to pressure Congress and states to protect HIV programs and research funding.
Jenny Milne was misdiagnosed with gallbladder issues when she actually had end-stage heart failure from restrictive cardiomyopathy; after a 24-hour heart monitor, she was diagnosed in early 2021 and underwent mitral valve replacement in 2022, putting her heart failure into remission. Now 29, she advocates for early detection and awareness that heart disease can affect people of any age, working with HeartLife Foundation to raise public and medical professional awareness in Canada.
On the 20th anniversary of the HPV vaccine, this feature chronicles Erica Frazier Stum’s battle with cervical cancer despite vaccination, highlighting how HPV vaccines can cut cervical cancer risk by up to about 80% when given by age 16, while also underscoring gaps in vaccine uptake and screening—especially in rural areas—and showcasing her sister Hallie Martin’s advocacy to protect others through vaccination and regular well-woman care.
A gastroenterology nurse and military spouse began experiencing rectal bleeding as a young adult; doctors attributed it to hemorrhoids and pregnancy, delaying diagnosis until after delivery, when a colonoscopy revealed a golf-ball-sized rectal tumor. She was diagnosed with stage 3C cancer with lymph node involvement, underwent surgery and six months of chemotherapy, and is now five years cancer-free at 38. The experience highlighted the unique challenges of a military family, the importance of self-advocacy and screening, and the ongoing impact of treatment, including early menopause and stigma around colon cancer.
Eight parents living with ALS share how the disease reshapes daily parenting, forcing adaptive care, redefining what it means to be present for their children, and fueling advocacy for research and better treatments, all while cherishing meaningful family moments.
Elizabeth Smart discusses her new bodybuilding journey on CBS Mornings, calling her debut terrifying but liberating and framing it as a celebration of her body tied to her advocacy for women and children affected by sexual violence.
Elizabeth Smart, who was kidnapped in Utah in 2002 and later rescued, revealed she has begun competing in bodybuilding shows, posting a bikini photo from the Wasatch Warrior event in Salt Lake City. She says she delayed sharing the hobby, fearing judgment and questioning her credibility as a survivor advocate, and notes she has already competed in four shows while continuing her child-safety advocacy.
Elizabeth Smart revealed on Instagram that she has competed in bodybuilding for the fourth time, turning the sport into a way to reclaim her identity after surviving abduction and abuse. She posted striking photos from the stage, said she’s proud of her body, and urged fellow survivors to chase new experiences and happiness.
Brooke Pangrazio, diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer at 33 (later 35) with liver and lung metastases, says she is “treatable, but not curable” as she undergoes chemotherapy. Her story highlights rising colorectal cancer rates among younger adults, the need for earlier screening, and the importance of self-advocacy—urging others to push for medical evaluation (like colonoscopies) if something feels off, even as she remains hopeful about longer-term outcomes.
ACOG’s updated endometriosis guidance allows clinicians to diagnose and start treatment based on symptoms and exam (no mandatory surgical confirmation), with transvaginal ultrasound as first-line imaging and MRI for later characterization. The recommendations apply to adolescents as well as adults and urge cross-specialty recognition (pediatrics, gastroenterology, urology, internal medicine) to shorten the historically long diagnostic timeline. The shift aims to move care earlier, reduce disease progression and infertility impact, and address systemic barriers highlighted by patient stories like Leah Chapman, who faced years of pain, multiple IVF cycles, and advocacy efforts to improve access and awareness.
McKinnon Galloway was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis type 2 after a teen volleyball injury led to tumors pressing on nerves; she underwent multiple brain surgeries, lost her hearing in 2022, and now uses adaptive technology while advocating for others with NF2.
A 33-year-old woman recounts 20 years of severe pain and dismissal from doctors who urged her to stay on birth control; after multiple ER visits and a decisive gynecologist, she was diagnosed with endometriosis and underwent surgery removing 23 lesions, yielding dramatic pain relief. She now advocates for better medical education on endometriosis and improved insurance coverage for treatments.
Marisa Peters, a mom in her 30s, experienced rectal bleeding and urgent changes in bowel habits that doctors attributed to postpartum effects. After six years she was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer and underwent extensive treatment; she is now cancer-free and cofounder of the Be Seen nonprofit, advocating for earlier screening as colorectal cancer increasingly affects younger people.
Allison Solomon was diagnosed with colon cancer at 37 in 2024 and is now in remission after surgery and chemotherapy; she’s advocating with the Colorectal Cancer Alliance as researchers note rising early-onset cases and explore factors like microbiome and birth year; a national survey shows many people are unsure when to start screening, with 45 the current guideline, highlighting the importance of listening to body signals and using colonoscopies to detect and remove premalignant polyps before cancer develops.