We are excited to launch the inaugural Verywell Health Impact Awards, which celebrates people who use their experiences living with diseases and conditions to advocate for others.
Each of our 10 award recipients knows what it’s like firsthand to experience the path to diagnosis, navigate treatment options, and pivot life plans because of their health. Their journeys motivated them to rally for others and help make improvements in health care. Their impact is inspiring.
Here are this year’s recipients.
Tina Aswani-Omprakash
Crohn’s Disease Patient Advocate and Thought Leader, Executive Director and Co-Founder of the South Asian IBD Alliance (SAIA), and Creator of the Own Your Crohn’s Blog
Tina Aswani-Omprakashwas diagnosed in 2006 withCrohn’s disease, the same chronic condition that ultimately led to her father’s death. Her diagnosis led her to a new career path as a health advocate and a new community through theSouth Asian IBD Alliance (SAIA)and her blog,Own Your Crohn’s.
Sharing her experience with an illness that involves intimate bathroom-habit details “felt like social suicide,” Aswani-Omprakash said. “I lost a circle of friends, but I gained an even bigger community.” Aswani-Omprakash’s health advocacy work seeks to help eliminate the cultural stigma associated with Crohn’s andinflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
“The tide is starting to change, and more people are talking about IBD,” Aswani-Omprakash said. She also works to shed light on the mental health impact of those conditions. “These illnesses can take a toll on your self-worth and self-respect. Don’t be ashamed.”
These illnesses can take a toll on your self-worth and self-respect. Don’t be ashamed.
Aswani-Omprakash emphasized the importance of finding a trustworthy healthcare team to get the mind/body care you need. She hopes her work will help educate people to become equal partners in their care. “Choosing a doctor is like dating,” she said. “Go with someone who has your back and will educate you on your condition.”
The Breasties
Leadership Team: Allie Brumel, Trish Michelle, Bri Majsiak, and Paige More
Five years ago, four strangers were on differentbreast cancerjourneys, struggling to find support.
We’re on a mission to support and improve the experiences of the cancer community.
The Breasties launched virtual meetups in their app; each is a protected space for people who identify as LGBTQ+, BIPOC, newly diagnosed, in active treatment, and more. “We’re on a mission to support and improve the experiences of the cancer community through peer-to-peer connection, resources, advocacy, and funding of stage 4 breast cancer research,” said More. The organization has supported more than 30,000 individuals through free virtual and in-person events and reached about 100,000 people through its advocacy initiatives.
Their advice for new members: “You are not alone,” said Majsiak. “It’s common to feel isolated when receiving a diagnosis or learning you are at high risk of cancer. This community is here for you.”
Jodi Ettenberg
Jodi Ettenberg—author ofThe Food Traveler’s Handbook—quit her job as a corporate lawyer 15 years ago to take a one-year work sabbatical, which eventually turned into a new career as a travel blogger. Already diagnosed withceliac disease, she quickly realized how difficult it would be to manage her condition and strictly gluten-free diet while abroad.
Ettenberg wrote about her experiences as one of the first travel bloggers with celiac on her website,Legal Nomads. She also created gluten-free translation cards and celiac-friendly travel guides for her readers to use as resources. Language barriers and new types of food did not stand in the way of Ettenberg exploring the world. Her thirst for knowledge spurred her blog and travel guides, which aim to help others living with celiac disease feel more comfortable while traveling.
Ettenberg’s life on the road was derailed after she had to undergo a diagnosticlumbar puncture(spinal tap) six years ago. The procedure led to a chroniccerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak, which left Ettenberg barely able to walk, nauseous, and struggling to speak. “I had to relearn how to exist in the world when everything I had identified with was taken away,” she said.
My natural curiosity about the world has evolved into a curiosity about my conditions.
Ettenberg was later diagnosed withEhlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS)andmast cell activation syndrome (MCAS). Instead of writing about travel, she turned her skills and experience to making videos and resources on her conditions to help those facing the same challenges. “My natural curiosity about the world has evolved into a curiosity about my conditions,” she said. Though she is now mostly bedbound, Ettenberg has become involved in supporting research on the causes, testing, and treatments of CSF leaks through her work for theSpinal CSF Leak Foundation.
Ettenberg’s advice: “You have a choice in how you want to approach each day. Putting energy toward what you’re curious about helps deal with the grief.”
Steve Gleason
Former NFL Player and Founder of Team Gleason
In 2011, former New Orleans Saints safetySteve Gleasonrevealed that he hasamyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS), also called Lou Gehrig’s disease. As the disease progressed, Gleason became unable to walk or talk, and he now can only use his eyes to communicate. Instead of letting his inabilities hold him back, Gleason got active, founding Team Gleason with the mission of helping fellow ALS patients live and thrive post-diagnosis.
Gleason and his organization offer innovative solutions aimed at empowering individuals with ALS to preserve their independence and identity. Team Gleason’s services encompass a wide range of needs, including communication, mobility, and connecting individuals with skilled clinicians. “I am most passionate about human communication,” Gleason told Blair Casey, executive director of Team Gleason, via his eyes, which was then emailed to Verywell Health. “I’m only able to communicate at about 5% the capacity of an ordinary human. We’re working to solve this with our technology partners and brain-machine interface firms.”
I feel a profound sense of purpose, meaning, and responsibility in my life.
Casey said, “As Steve’s first caregiver, I have knowledge and a very intimate understanding of ALS’s struggles, pain, and harsh reality. Team Gleason ensures that families know they have resources at their disposal.”
Gleason’s work gives him purpose. “My physical health is quite fragile, but in light of this, I have not been in the hospital for quite a few years. Please knock on wood for me. I feel a profound sense of purpose, meaning, and responsibility in my life. I feel like life is bringing me exactly what I was made for each day and each moment.”
Archie Green
Hip-Hop Artist and Founder/CEO of Peel Dem Layers Back
After dealing with personal struggles, includingalcohol abuseand untreateddepression, hip-hop artistArchie Greensat inside a jail cell in November 2013 and knew something had to change.
“While waiting in that holding cell, a voice came to me and said, ‘Stop crying,’” Green, founder and CEO ofPeel Dem Layers Back (PDLB), said. “The second thing it told me was they can trap your body, but they can never trap your mind.”
After he got out, he used his experience with depression as inspiration for his single “Layers,” which details his journey through counseling and managing depression. The song resonated with people after it was released in 2016, receiving more than 25,000 plays.
It’s okay to ask for help; it’s the most important thing you can do.
Green saw the positive response to his single and wanted to do more, so he founded PDLB, a Cleveland-based nonprofit that provides mental health-based support for Black men and boys. PDLB uses hip-hop as the basis for their communication and community. The nonprofit has launched music-centered programs geared towards teaching Black men how to communicate and manage their mental health struggles.
Green’s advice for those battling depression or anxiety: “When you’re going through depression, you may feel like you’re the only person in the world who can understand what you’re going through. I’m here to tell you that such a perspective is not true. There are millions of others going through the same thing. It’s okay to ask for help; it’s the most important thing you can do.”
Nick Jonas
Singer-Songwriter and Co-Founder of Beyond Type 1
Pamela Littky
Nick Jonas was 13 years old when he was diagnosed withtype 1 diabeteswhile on tour with The Jonas Brothers band. His first symptoms included mood changes, extreme thirst, frequent urination, and rapid weight loss (25 lbs in two weeks).
What began as a frightening diagnosis became an opportunity to share his experience. In 2015, Jonas, along with Juliet de Baubigny, Sarah Lucas, and Sam Talbot co-foundedBeyond Type 1, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people live better with diabetes. “Being in the public eye, I felt a responsibility to normalize it, both for myself and those who followed me,” Jonas told Verywell Health via email.
Jonas' nonprofit offers an encouraging community, scholarship opportunities, educational resources, and a platform to help find financial support for insulin—among many other programs. “I think it’s most important to create access and opportunities for people to better manage their life with diabetes and to take some of the burden out of the equation,” he said.
Being in the public eye, I felt a responsibility to normalize [diabetes], both for myself and those who followed me.
Over the years, Jonas has learned to prioritize his health and lean on his support system. “The daily management can still be a bit overwhelming at times, but that’s all been a part of the ride,” he said. “With the support of my family and friends, I’ve been able to navigate these challenges to the best of my ability.”
Padma Lakshmi
Writer, Television Host, EndoFound Founder
Padma Lakshmiunknowingly suffered fromendometriosisfor decades before being diagnosed at 36 years old.
“I had extremely bad menstrual cramps, backaches, headaches, and, at times, shooting pain down one leg,” Lakshmi, the creator, host, and executive producer of the critically acclaimed Hulu seriesTaste the Nation, told Verywell Health via email. Lakshmi is also aNew York Timesbest-selling author.
Lakshmi’s health improved after her diagnosis, thanks to multiple laparoscopic surgeries.
“I saw how much better life was without the shackle of pain that choked normal life,” she said.
Her experience inspired her to cofound theEndometriosis Foundation of America (EndoFound)in 2009 with endometriosis specialist Tamer Seckin, MD.
I want to help other women and girls gain their freedom from pain, so they can flourish in their lives.
“I wanted to help other women and girls gain their freedom from pain, too, so they could flourish in their lives,” Lakshmi said.
Lakshmi and EndoFound are championing better education for healthcare providers through their fellowship program and with their interdisciplinary Gynepathology research facility, the first of its kind..
“I hope to change how this disease is taught in medical schools so that physicians will be sensitized to look for symptoms in their patients,” Lakshmi said.
Lakshmi’s wish for anyone experiencing symptoms of endometriosis: “Trust your instincts and keep looking for specialists that will listen to you.”
Tara Robinson
Army Veteran, School Counselor, CEO/Founder of the Black Heart Association
Army veteranTara Robinsonsuffered threeheart attacksover one week in 2014. The last one almost claimed the Dallas-based school counselor’s life.
Robinson’s health improved after she received acoronary stent. As she recovered, she realized stress was the biggest contributing factor to her heart attacks. “Stress is so damaging to our heart health,” she said. “It impacts what we eat. Stress will take you out. And there’s not enough noise around it.”
On top of that, Robinson recounted her interactions with her healthcare providers leading up to her heart attacks. Her symptoms were indicative of a heart attack–left arm numbness/pain, extreme fatigue, chest pain—but her healthcare providers insisted she was too young to have a heart attack since she was only 40. However, Black women can develop cardiovascular disease earlier than White women, which increases their risk of heart attack.
Whatever your fight is, testify to how it has made you stronger and not weaker.
Robinson felt like doctors saw her as a set of symptoms, not as a person, and that her care lacked empathy and thoughtfulness. “We’ve taken love out of the equation,” she said. “It’s harming us.”
Her experience inspired her to co-foundThe Black Heart Associationto address bias, racism, and problematic policies within the health system. The nonprofit goes out into the Dallas-Fort Worth community in their mobile heart center, providing free blood pressure and glucose testing. They also help people access health insurance and mental health care.
Robinson advises others, “One of the biggest things we ignore is the mental toll health issues take on us. Whatever your fight is, testify to how it has made you stronger and not weaker. Fight not just for yourself but for others. Continue to take it personally. Let’s stay in good trouble.”
Tanika Gray Valbrun
Journalist and Founder of The White Dress Project
Since adolescence,Tanika Gray Valbrunexperienced heavy uterine bleeding and pain, but it took several years and many doctors before she was diagnosed withuterine fibroidsin 2007. She underwent several medical procedures, including threemyomectomiesto remove fibroids.
“Any person with a uterus can get uterine fibroids, but it disproportionately impacts Black and minority women,” she said. In fact, Black women are diagnosed more frequently and at younger ages—between 29 and 39—than any other group of women.
The organization is dedicated to raising awareness and supporting fibroid education and research. In 2021, they authored legislation to name July asUterine Fibroids Awareness Month.
You are the expert and CEO of your body. Be confident in knowing that.
Tanika encourages others with fibroids to be their own best health advocate: “You are the expert and CEO of your body. Be confident in knowing that.”
Kamili Wilson
Rhonisha Franklin, R. Dione Foto
“The erratic nature of my symptoms and bouts of hostility and rage I experienced early on was challenging,” said Wilson. “The mood swings were unpredictable, often surfaced at work, and impacted my family relationships.”
Wilson used Google to self-diagnose herself as being inperimenopauseafter she had symptoms for several months. As a Black woman, she was particularly interested in the insights and stories unique to her demographic, but what she found online was insufficient. Studies have shown thatBlack women experience higher levels of hot flashes, poorer sleep quality, shorter sleep duration, and an increased risk of depression.
“I was disappointed to find a lack of representative images and insights for women of color—let alone Black women,” said Wilson.
I was disappointed to find a lack of representative images and insights for women of color—let alone Black women.
Wilson createdMenopause Made Modern, a website highlighting inclusive experiences, to make it easier for women of color to navigate menopause and empower themselves to take control of their health. “My goal was to create a credible, trusted, and validating resource with excellent content that helps women of color and elevates discussions about menopause,” she said.
Wilson’s advice to other women going through menopause: “Suffering isn’t inevitable,” she said. “Get help. Talk to your doctor. If they can’t help you, find another one.”
Learn More
What Is Crohn’s Disease?What Is Celiac Disease?What Is ALS?Recognizing and Treating Your Clinical DepressionType 1 Diabetes: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Lifestyle ChangesHow Is Endometriosis Diagnosed?Everything You Need to Know About a Heart AttackUterine Fibroids: Types, Symptoms, Causes, TreatmentAn Overview of MenopauseTriple-Negative Breast Cancer: Stages, Treatment, Prognosis
What Is Crohn’s Disease?
What Is Celiac Disease?
What Is ALS?
Recognizing and Treating Your Clinical Depression
Type 1 Diabetes: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Lifestyle Changes
How Is Endometriosis Diagnosed?
Everything You Need to Know About a Heart Attack
Uterine Fibroids: Types, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment
An Overview of Menopause
Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Stages, Treatment, Prognosis
Jennifer Barrett,Jennifer Berger,Daniel Greaves,Mark Hassenfratz,Brit Haines,Teresa Maalouf, MPH,Vera Sizensky,Regina C. Windsor, MPH, RDN
3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Benjamin EJ, Virani SS, Callaway CW, Chamberlain AM, Chang AR, Cheng S, Chiuve SE, Cushman M, Delling FN, Deo R, de Ferranti SD, Ferguson JF, Fornage M, Gillespie C, Isasi CR, Jiménez MC, Jordan LC, Judd SE, Lackland D, Lichtman JH, Lisabeth L, Liu S, Longenecker CT, Lutsey PL, Mackey JS, Matchar DB, Matsushita K, Mussolino ME, Nasir K, O’Flaherty M, Palaniappan LP, Pandey A, Pandey DK, Reeves MJ, Ritchey MD, Rodriguez CJ, Roth GA, Rosamond WD, Sampson UKA, Satou GM, Shah SH, Spartano NL, Tirschwell DL, Tsao CW, Voeks JH, Willey JZ, Wilkins JT, Wu JH, Alger HM, Wong SS, Muntner P; American Heart Association Council on Epidemiology and Prevention Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee.Heart disease and stroke statistics-2018 update: a report from the American Heart Association. 2018; 137:e67–e492. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000558Eltoukhi HM, Modi MN, Weston M, Armstrong AY, Stewart EA.The health disparities of uterine fibroid tumors for African American women: a public health issue.American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2014;210(3):194-199. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2013.08.008Harlow SD, Burnett-Bowie SAM, Greendale GA, et al.Disparities in reproductive aging and midlife health between black and white women: the study of women’s health across the nation (SWAN). Women’s Midlife Health. 2022;8(1):3. doi:10.1186/s40695-022-00073-y
3 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Benjamin EJ, Virani SS, Callaway CW, Chamberlain AM, Chang AR, Cheng S, Chiuve SE, Cushman M, Delling FN, Deo R, de Ferranti SD, Ferguson JF, Fornage M, Gillespie C, Isasi CR, Jiménez MC, Jordan LC, Judd SE, Lackland D, Lichtman JH, Lisabeth L, Liu S, Longenecker CT, Lutsey PL, Mackey JS, Matchar DB, Matsushita K, Mussolino ME, Nasir K, O’Flaherty M, Palaniappan LP, Pandey A, Pandey DK, Reeves MJ, Ritchey MD, Rodriguez CJ, Roth GA, Rosamond WD, Sampson UKA, Satou GM, Shah SH, Spartano NL, Tirschwell DL, Tsao CW, Voeks JH, Willey JZ, Wilkins JT, Wu JH, Alger HM, Wong SS, Muntner P; American Heart Association Council on Epidemiology and Prevention Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee.Heart disease and stroke statistics-2018 update: a report from the American Heart Association. 2018; 137:e67–e492. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000558Eltoukhi HM, Modi MN, Weston M, Armstrong AY, Stewart EA.The health disparities of uterine fibroid tumors for African American women: a public health issue.American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2014;210(3):194-199. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2013.08.008Harlow SD, Burnett-Bowie SAM, Greendale GA, et al.Disparities in reproductive aging and midlife health between black and white women: the study of women’s health across the nation (SWAN). Women’s Midlife Health. 2022;8(1):3. doi:10.1186/s40695-022-00073-y
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Benjamin EJ, Virani SS, Callaway CW, Chamberlain AM, Chang AR, Cheng S, Chiuve SE, Cushman M, Delling FN, Deo R, de Ferranti SD, Ferguson JF, Fornage M, Gillespie C, Isasi CR, Jiménez MC, Jordan LC, Judd SE, Lackland D, Lichtman JH, Lisabeth L, Liu S, Longenecker CT, Lutsey PL, Mackey JS, Matchar DB, Matsushita K, Mussolino ME, Nasir K, O’Flaherty M, Palaniappan LP, Pandey A, Pandey DK, Reeves MJ, Ritchey MD, Rodriguez CJ, Roth GA, Rosamond WD, Sampson UKA, Satou GM, Shah SH, Spartano NL, Tirschwell DL, Tsao CW, Voeks JH, Willey JZ, Wilkins JT, Wu JH, Alger HM, Wong SS, Muntner P; American Heart Association Council on Epidemiology and Prevention Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee.Heart disease and stroke statistics-2018 update: a report from the American Heart Association. 2018; 137:e67–e492. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000558Eltoukhi HM, Modi MN, Weston M, Armstrong AY, Stewart EA.The health disparities of uterine fibroid tumors for African American women: a public health issue.American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2014;210(3):194-199. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2013.08.008Harlow SD, Burnett-Bowie SAM, Greendale GA, et al.Disparities in reproductive aging and midlife health between black and white women: the study of women’s health across the nation (SWAN). Women’s Midlife Health. 2022;8(1):3. doi:10.1186/s40695-022-00073-y
Benjamin EJ, Virani SS, Callaway CW, Chamberlain AM, Chang AR, Cheng S, Chiuve SE, Cushman M, Delling FN, Deo R, de Ferranti SD, Ferguson JF, Fornage M, Gillespie C, Isasi CR, Jiménez MC, Jordan LC, Judd SE, Lackland D, Lichtman JH, Lisabeth L, Liu S, Longenecker CT, Lutsey PL, Mackey JS, Matchar DB, Matsushita K, Mussolino ME, Nasir K, O’Flaherty M, Palaniappan LP, Pandey A, Pandey DK, Reeves MJ, Ritchey MD, Rodriguez CJ, Roth GA, Rosamond WD, Sampson UKA, Satou GM, Shah SH, Spartano NL, Tirschwell DL, Tsao CW, Voeks JH, Willey JZ, Wilkins JT, Wu JH, Alger HM, Wong SS, Muntner P; American Heart Association Council on Epidemiology and Prevention Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee.Heart disease and stroke statistics-2018 update: a report from the American Heart Association. 2018; 137:e67–e492. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000558
Eltoukhi HM, Modi MN, Weston M, Armstrong AY, Stewart EA.The health disparities of uterine fibroid tumors for African American women: a public health issue.American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2014;210(3):194-199. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2013.08.008
Harlow SD, Burnett-Bowie SAM, Greendale GA, et al.Disparities in reproductive aging and midlife health between black and white women: the study of women’s health across the nation (SWAN). Women’s Midlife Health. 2022;8(1):3. doi:10.1186/s40695-022-00073-y
