Meet warrior, Erin Paterson. Erin tested gene positive for Huntington’s Disease in her early thirties. After her life-changing diagnosis, Erin naturally began suffering from depression and also received the news she was infertile. Despite everything, she was determined to expand her family and to enjoy a meaningful life. Erin is now a proud mom, author, speaker, andinternational Huntington’s Disease advocate. Her work has appeared in two anthologies, and has been published on over ten different sites. She wrote a monthly column for Huntington’s Disease News, and facilitated her new book including recruiting people to share their stories, coaching them through the writing process, finding sponsors, and publishing the book. She is a public speaker sharing her story both locally and internationally including at a recent conference for the Huntington’s Disease Youth Organization. Tune in to Part One as Erin dives into managing the aftermath of her diagnoses as well as being a caregiver for her father who is currently living with the debilitating symptoms of Huntington’s Disease. To learn more about Erin Paterson, go to https://www.erinpaterson.com and find her memoir on Amazon at All Good Things: A Story About Genetic Testing, Infertility and One Woman’s Relentless Search for Happiness or her new book on Amazon at Huntington’s Disease Heroes: Inspiring Stories of Resilience from the HD Community.

Meet warrior, Irene S. Roth. Irene is a full-time writer, blogger, online teacher, and writing mentor coach. Irene has managed chronic pain from osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic migraine disease, and more for the past twenty-five years. Barely functioning due to the debilitating pain, Irene was determined to not let the pain from her osteoarthritis defeat her. She educated herself and implemented a self-management plan allowing herself to not only function but thrive despite her pain. Through her writing, Irene teaches, encourages, and spreads her message of hope to the chronic pain community. In Part Two, listen as she shares her treatment suggestions and self-management tips for managing the ever-changing symptoms of arthritis and other chronic conditions. To learn more about Irene S. Roth, go to her Smashwords e-books including Living Well with Chronic Illness, The Emotionally Resilient Arthritis Sufferer, Tips to Successful Chronic Pain Management, How to Pace Yourself Despite Migraine Attacks or her blogs including https://livingwellwitharthritis.wordpress.com and the I Am Not My Pain Podcast blog at https://chronicpainwarriorsblog.ca.

Meet warrior, Irene S. Roth. Irene is a full-time writer, blogger, online teacher, and writing mentor coach. Irene has managed chronic pain from osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic migraine disease, and more for the past twenty-five years. Barely functioning due to the debilitating pain, Irene was determined to not let the pain from her osteoarthritis defeat her. She educated herself and implemented a self-management plan allowing herself to not only function but thrive despite her pain. Through her writing, Irene teaches, encourages, and spreads her message of hope to the chronic pain community. In Part One, tune in as she discusses how a pain in her toe began her incredible journey with osteoarthritis and its comorbidities. To learn more about Irene S. Roth, go to her Smashwords e-books including Living Well with Chronic Illness, The Emotionally Resilient Arthritis Sufferer, Tips to Successful Chronic Pain Management, How to Pace Yourself Despite Migraine Attacks or her blogs including https://livingwellwitharthritis.wordpress.com and the I Am Not My Pain Podcast blog at https://chronicpainwarriorsblog.ca.

Meet warrior, Marc Hoberman. Marc is a certified life coach, creator and host of the talk show: Life Stories with Marc Hoberman, motivational speaker/trainer, bestselling author, and study skills expert. At 16, Marc began suffering from epilepsy and later in his life from type 2 diabetes. Marc understands the struggles chronic illness can bring, especially at a young age. Listen as Marc shares how epilepsy presented an opportunity to connect with himself on a deep level, to learn valuable coping skills and above all, to utilize this knowledge to help others. Marc has authored and co-authored many books including his bestseller Opportunity In Disguise: How I Defeated Adversity sold online and in select bookstores and through his various passions strives to educate and uplift teens and parents to navigate life challenges such as illness, bullying, peer pressure, anxiety and depression. To learn more about Marc Hoberman, go to https://www.marchoberman.com/ or for his Grade Success educational tools, go to https://gradesuccess.com. 

Meet warrior, Larissa Martin. Larissa was born 26 weeks premature. She has Cerebral Palsy along with an intellectual disability and is an amputee requiring use of a wheelchair. Larissa is an activist, an advocate and an independent self-published author who has written Dear Anxiety: Letters from a Girl Who Cares and Stories from People who Suffer with Anxiety. She has been published and republished in numerous magazines and digital outlets such as The Mighty, Unwritten Magazine, Yahoo, and MSN. By sharing her life and perspective, Larissa hopes to expand people’s understanding of the true and complex nature of living life with disabilities. Tune in as Larissa explains the challenges, she faces day-to-day from simply opening a door to traveling, how she manages her mental health and the importance of listening and conversing with the disabled community. To learn more about Larissa Martin or her writing, go to https://www.larissaswriting.com.  

Meet warrior, Alex. Alex is transgender identifying as trans-masculine and non-binary. From a young age, Alex endured many chronic illnesses and disabilities. He/They was later diagnosed with Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum, a rare brain disorder where there is a partial or complete absence of an area of the brain that connects the two cerebral hemispheres. Alex also manages Dandy-Walker Syndrome, a congenital brain malformation involving the cerebellum and the fluid-filled spaces around it that coordinates movement, and additionally lives with blindness in the right eye, arthritis, chronic pain, non-verbal learning disorder, depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, autism, and more. Alex works hard to support the disabled community as a full-time Disability Resource Specialist, as well as strives to care for his/their own health. Alex not only faces tremendous obstacles living with multiple, rare conditions, but he/they faces another huge hurdle; Alex must navigate a healthcare system that doesn’t truly accommodate or comprehend his/their needs as a transgender person. Listen as Alex shares his/their story, the challenges of being transgender and chronically ill, and how he/they supports his/their health and well-being.   

Continuing our conversation with warrior, Lydia Joy Launderville. Lydia is a freelance writer specializing in health and lifestyle, a ghostwriter, a blogger, an advocate, and a full-time Reading Interventionist for elementary children. Diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, Migraine, Raynaud's syndrome, and a host of other conditions, Lydia entered the dating world while still discovering her diagnoses and how to manage her various symptoms. Through each relationship, Lydia has grown to understand her conditions and what she needs in her partner and for her health. Tune in to Part Two as Lydia discusses managing her health including doctor appts and flare ups while in a relationship, how she took care of herself during a breakup and how past and present romantic relationships have given her a deeper understanding of herself, her health and life. Lydia reminds all chronic illness warriors that you are so much more than your disease and are deserving of love. To learn more about Lydia Joy Launderville or her writing, go to https://lydiajoylaunderville.wordpress.com.  

Meet warrior, Lydia Joy Launderville. Lydia is a freelance writer specializing in health and lifestyle, a ghostwriter, a blogger, an advocate, and a full-time Reading Interventionist for elementary children. Diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, Migraine, Raynaud's syndrome, and a host of other conditions, Lydia entered the dating world while still discovering her diagnoses and how to manage her various symptoms. Through each relationship, Lydia has grown to understand her conditions and what she needs in her partner and for her health. Listen to Part One as Lydia shares her story as well as her dating history including how she manages the challenges of dating when chronically sick and how she supports her health above all. Lydia reminds all chronic illness warriors that you are so much more than your disease and are deserving of love. To learn more about Lydia Joy Launderville or her writing, go to  https://lydiajoylaunderville.wordpress.com. 

Meet warrior, Cedric. Cedric was a US Navy Airman until he suffered a severe back injury on duty leaving him in a wheelchair. With time and hard work, Cedric learned to walk again, but the injury resulted in degenerative back disease. Cedric now manages chronic pain from bulging discs in his lower back which has gradually affected his thoracic spine and neck. From childhood to his time in the Navy, Cedric was taught like most men that to show pain is to show weakness. Tune in as Cedric shares his remarkable story and how he battles his daily pain as well as the stigmas associated with being a man in chronic pain.   

Continuing our conversation with warrior, Carole Griffitts and her husband, FJ. Carole and FJ were happily married with two young sons when a severe, disabling back injury at work in 1978 began Carole’s 44-year journey with invisible disabilities. Carole was later diagnosed with post-polio syndrome in 1985, dystonia in 2005 and Sjogren’s syndrome in 2009. Her neuromuscular conditions interact with each other causing weakness, pain, spasms, and fatigability. Carole and FJ were forced to acclimate to their new roles. Listen as in Part Two this husband-and-wife duo share more on adapting to Carole’s ever evolving health challenges, their advice for the chronically ill and their significant other, and how they find hope and purpose especially through their compelling book. To learn more about Carole and FJ and their book, Sunbreaks in Unending Storms, go to https://sunbreaksbooks.com/.  To follow Carole’s journey, go to https://www.navigatingthestorms.com.