Together We Thrive

Would you like to know how to support someone with chronic illness, or do you want to give advice to your loved ones about how to best support you? This blog post explains why coping with a chronic illness is difficult, how social support can benefit the patient, and 8 tips on how to show your support.

Do you wish your teacher understood your illness better? Do you want school to be easier and more fair for you and other kids like you? These letters were written by a mom whose kids have chronic illnesses. They help teachers learn how to support kids with health problems—both in class and outside of it.

Do you want to educate a friend, classmate, family member or teacher about the challenges of dealing with chronic illness in school? This 9 minute video sheds light on the experiences of school-aged children (ages 8-17) with health conditions. They discuss how illness affects multiple aspects of their lives, including mental health, school and grades, extracurriculars, and more.

Do you know someone who has a long-term illness? Do you have one? In this 9-minute cartoon, follow Sammy on his journey through life with a long-term illness. You will learn what it means to have a chronic illness, how it can impact your life, and how it can be managed.  It’s a fun and easy way to understand what’s going on in your body – and to see that you’re not alone.

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!