A few weeks ago, amid the hectic rush of dinner, preparing the little ones for bed and helping the older children figure out their evening, I got a phone call that made me wave off everyone, and retreat outside, to the back porch, to give my attention to the caller.  I try not to mix […]

When I tell people that I’m a board certified patient advocate, I usually get a blank stare, a distracted smile, or occasionally, a “what’s that, exactly?”  After a few more minutes of explanation I usually see understanding dawn, “aah, I didn’t realize that was a formalized job.”  Exactly.  Many professionals perform the job of “patient […]

I always start my health navigation lectures off by introducing myself professionally, 25 years of experience in health promotion and health research, blah blah, Masters in Public Health, blah blah, but I always mention that I have five children, each one of whom has taken me on a different journey through the healthcare system.  As […]

My oldest daughter’s second word was Bamba. Right after Abba (daddy).  Mommy was way down on the list. I was a new mother, a new immigrant, and it was a bit daunting that my child’s most important word was a peanut-flavored snack shaped like larvae.  However, after living in Israel for 25 years, I now […]

What is health advocacy? I get this question a lot, being as that I had to jump through a lot of hoops, and even travel to Malta, (another story) to become the first internationally certified health advocate outside of North America.   What does that even mean?   In today’s information focused age, it is […]

Although I am a year, ok, maybe two or so behind, I just finished up the Season 1 of The Crown.  I became fascinated with the late Prime Minister Anthony Eden’s use of “popping pills” and injecting himself with something, which led me to google, “why is Prime Minister Eden taking medicine in season 1 […]