Archive for the ‘Awareness’ Category
Advocacy & Awareness: We Look Good!
“Well, you look good!” If you’re like me, you’ve heard that phrase more times than you can count. That’s because gastroparesis is typically an invisible illness. Regardless of how horrible we feel on the inside, most people with GP don’t look sick on the outside. In fact, most of us look pretty darn healthy! Still,…
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Advocacy: Veterans & FGIMDs
One of the things that I learned at DHA Advocacy Day is that our servicemen and women are disproportionately affected by functional GI and motility disorders, likely due to a combination of risk factors such as infection and the extreme stress of war. The Digestive Health Alliance recently co-sponsored a Congressional briefing to better educate our lawmakers about the issue…
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Digestive Health Matters: Traveling with Gastroparesis
Earlier this summer, I was asked to write an article about traveling with gastroparesis for Digestive Health Matters, the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders‘ quarterly magazine. You can read the entire article here for free. However, I highly encourage you to purchase the full edition of the magazine ($3.95). It contains a ton of…
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DHA Action Alert: H.R. 2239
Below is an Action Alert from the Digestive Health Alliance regarding H.R. 2239. For those of you have haven’t yet contacted your representative in Congress, you’ll find all of the info you need below. If you have already contacted your representative, keep reading to find out how you should follow up. Remember to ask your family…
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Your Turn: Support H.R. 2239
After I posted about my experience at the Digestive Health Alliance Advocacy Day, I was inundated by heartfelt “thank yous” for representing the GP community on Capitol Hill. (It was an honor, by the way.) Well, now it’s your turn! The Functional Gastrointestinal and Motility Disorders Research Enhancement Act of 2011 was introduced as H.R. 2239 on…
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DHA Advocacy Day 2011: Part II
Wednesday morning, we all met for breakfast before breaking into smaller groups to head off to Capitol Hill. I was lucky enough to have Dane Christiansen and Selena LaPorte from DHA in my group, as well as FGIMD expert Dr. Brennan Spiegel. Dane, Selena and Dr. Spiegel were kind enough to let me pick their brains…
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FAQ: What are Functional Gastrointestinal & Motility Disorders?
If you’ve been reading about my experience at Digestive Health Alliance Advocacy Day, you’ve seen the term “functional gastrointestinal and motility disorders” or FGIMDs used frequently. Gastroparesis is one of several disorders that fall under the umbrella of FGIMDs. Others include functional dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic constipation, and intestinal pseudo-obstruction. Some patients have more…
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DHA Advocacy Day 2011: Part I
Advocacy Day, which is actually a two-day event, was organized by the Digestive Health Alliance (DHA). If you’re not familiar with DHA, it’s the grassroots arm of the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD). DHA provides advocacy tools and support to help patient-advocates speak out in coordinated way, making our voices more powerful. Here’s what…
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Digestive Health Advocacy Day: A Call to Action
Bright and early on June 14th, I’ll be flying to Washington, DC to take part in Digestive Health Advocacy Day. Advocacy Day is actually a two-day event orchestrated by the Digestive Health Alliance (DHA), the grassroots arm of the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD), in which patients meet with members of Congress to share…
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Five Million People. One Book.
When I started this blog a little over a year ago, I wasn’t sure anyone else would ever read it. I certainly didn’t expect it to attract thousands and thousands of visitors from over 60(!) countries. I also didn’t expect so many of you to reach out and share your own stories, creating a supportive,…
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