Together We Thrive

In this 7-minute TEDxYouth talk, Emily Bonia empowers young chronic illness patients to pave their own path to a successful life. She discusses how her Crohn’s Disease diagnosis impacted her dream career, and the steps she took to find a job that simultaneously accommodated to her medical needs and provided her a sense of fulfillment and joy.

In this 12-minute video, professional tennis star Venus Williams talks about her journey with Autoimmune Disease. She discusses how to get diagnosed, how to improve symptoms, how illness affects her life, and general advice for anyone dealing with a long-term illness. 

Her story is a reminder that your illness doesn’t define you. You can achieve your dreams if you believe in yourself!

Chronic Conundrums is a podcast channel that shares the voices of young people with health conditions. With a total of 8 episodes, they discuss the unique experience of being a kid or teen with chronic health conditions. Topics include hospital admissions, treatment, tackling adulthood, and more!

Are you looking for a creative way to express your emotions? In this 10-minute YouTube video, the creator Art By Stella Chang guides viewers in reflecting on their personal experiences while making art. She draws on her own experiences with lupus to paint a self-portrait featuring her growth, with the message that your illness does not define you. Follow along with the video to create your very own healing art piece!

This 7-minute video is a chronic illness campaign that sheds light on navigating high school with a new diagnosis. Watch this on your own to relate to the experience, or share this with your friends to start the conversation on what it means to be a young person with a health condition.

Disclaimer: We do not endorse the product that the company is selling at the end of the video.

Rare Youth Revolution is an online magazine for kids and teens living with rare medical conditions. This magazine helps empower youth and their families by sharing real stories and advice straight from other young people who understand what it’s like. 

Check out their wide range of topics:

• Women in RARE: Hear about the unique challenges and triumphs that girls and women face while living with rare conditions.

• Advocacy Corner: Learn how to speak up for yourself and get the care you deserve.

• Letters to My Younger Self: Young adults share what they wish they had known when they were younger and living with a rare disease.

• The World of Work: Get tips on how to transition into adulthood and start your career, even while managing a rare condition.

• Our Voices & Our Voices Kids: Read stories from other youth sharing their personal journeys, struggles, and successes.

• And many more!

Want to share your own story? You can submit your voice to be featured on their blog!

Health Talk is a website that offers patient support for 50+ medical conditions including epilepsy, chronic pain, long-term health conditions, and many more. You can search for your condition, learn coping mechanisms from other patients and healthcare professionals, and listen to personal stories.

This website is perfect for learning about your medical condition and how to tackle it!