And this writer made the list!

Shining a light on patient leaders.Photo byImage made by the author with Canva AI.

Living with a chronic health condition is a daily battle. No one can truly understand how challenging it is unless they’ve walked the same path.

One of the biggest trials faced by those dealing with chronic illness is the isolation they feel. Not only do you feel isolated because of the things you can’t do, but you also feel alone because you think no one understands. That’s why it’s so important for people with various conditions to speak up and help raise awareness. It’s also why I dedicate so much of my time to writing about bipolar disorder.

One company working hard to help raise awareness and improve patient care is Health Union. “Health Union was started in 2010 by two pharmaceutical industry colleagues and friends, who understood the untapped potential to leverage technology in ways that would enable people living with chronic conditions to learn, connect and share in meaningful and impactful ways.” — Source

Through a variety of websites and programs, Health Union works to support many of us writing about health conditions. The annual Social Health Awards highlights patient leaders working hard to improve awareness and patient care.

On Friday May 31st, 2024, Health Union announced their 2024 Social Health Awards Finalists.

The 2024 Social Health Awards Finalists

Lifetime Achievement Award

• Daniel Garza
• Jeffrey Roberts
• María-José Bouey
• Mark King
• Nicole Lemelle
• Rwenshaun Miller

Healthcare Collaborator

• Amber Blackburn
• Antoinette Ross
• John Bottrell
• Michael Donohoe
• Rebekah Dorr
• Scott Ninneman

Community Cultivator

• Emily Hertzberg
• Gracefully Jen
• Jennifer Schropp
• Racquel Dozier
• Sarah Renee Shaw
• Victoria Voos

Advocacy Trailblazer

• Cassidy Megan
• Elizabeth Moffett
• Emmitt Henderson
• Joni Kazantzis
• Lee Formella
• Shonda Berry

Social Media Master

• Allison Tennyson
• Jasmine (Ivanna) Espy
• Jemma Bella
• Kody Green
• Megan Marjorie
• Tiffany Kairos

Creative Contributor

• Brittany Quiroz
• Jenny Jones
• Joe Sooch
• Samantha Salvaggio
• Tim Ulmer
• Valerie David

Rookie of the Year

• Danielle Connolly
• Dwayne Wilson
• Emily Wahl
• Joey Torre
• Mariana dos Santos
• Paige Williams

Best Team

• Alopi Patel and Meera Kirpekar, The Female Pain Docs
• Chronic Migraine Warriors
• Heart Charged
• IBDesis Patient Advocacy Arm of South Asian IBD Alliance
• IBD Warriors, Support and Awareness
• Migraine Meanderings: Shoshana Lipson & her Team

Revolutionary Researcher

• Andrea Vassilev
• Beth Morton
• Bob McEachern
• Jamie Nicole
• Lynn Julian
• Michael LaFerney

Caregiving Champion

• Andrea Jensen
• Beverly Baldwin
• Charles Anthony Ulloa
• Diane Kennedy
• Kelsey Ramos Conroy
• Makenzie Cabrera

Read the full finalist announcement here.

I am the writer behind Speaking Bipolar, a blog I started in February 2018. I’m deeply honored to be included among the list of finalists this year.

2024 Social Health Awards Winners will be announced at Connexion, Health Union’s annual Health Leader conference, on June 26, 2024.

Healthcare can improve for everyone when we all work together. Thank you to Health Union and the Social Health Awards for shining a light on those working for positive change.

Until next time, keep fighting.