Tell Us About a Hero in Your Life

Shine a light on someone who’s helped you along the way.

We all have someone who lifted us up when we needed some support.
Maybe it’s a loved one, a nurse, someone you saw online who inspired you, maybe even yourself.

Share who inspired you and why they mattered. Your words could help someone else feel a little less alone.

No script. No pressure. Just you and your story.

• Answer a few short video prompts
• Respond by video, audio, or text
• Get featured on our website, YouTube, or social media to reach others who need to hear it.

Why We’re Asking This Question

In healthcare, it’s often the small acts of kindness that leave the biggest marks on our hearts. Whether it’s a doctor who listened a little longer, a nurse who offered comfort in a scary moment, a family member who stood strong beside you, or even a stranger who shared their story, these heroes help shape the experience of healing.

At The Patient Story, we believe every voice matters—and so do the voices that lift us up along the way. In this video request, we are asking you to share who made a difference in your healthcare journey. Your heroes could be anyone: a caregiver, a fellow patient, a community advocate, or even you yourself.

By celebrating these moments of inspiration, we help others see the power of connection, compassion, and encouragement. These videos honor those whose words, actions, or simply their presence made your healthcare experience feel more human.

Your story could inspire someone who is facing a new diagnosis, navigating treatment, or simply needing a reminder that good people exist.

Who made you feel seen, supported, or stronger?
Tell us about them—and help pass that hope forward.

Self-care Tips From Patients

Me First — And That’s Okay

How do you practice self-care and what has that done for you?
From rest to reflection, movement to mindfulness, or simply saying “no,” we want to hear what self-care looks like for you. Whether you’re a patient, caregiver, or care partner, your experience could inspire someone else to prioritize their own well-being.

You never know who needs permission to put themselves first.

Self-care isn’t selfish — it’s survival.

• Answer a few short video prompts
• Respond by video, audio, or text
• Get featured on our website, YouTube, or social media to reach others who need to hear it.

Why We’re Asking This Question

Self-care isn’t selfish—it’s a critical part of surviving and thriving through health challenges. Patients, caregivers, and care partners often give so much of themselves to others that their own needs can easily be overlooked. At The Patient Story, we want to help normalize self-care as a vital, necessary act of strength.

In this video interview, we are asking you to share what self-care looks like in your life. Maybe it’s finding quiet moments to breathe, asking for help when you need it, making time for joyful activities, or setting healthy boundaries. No act of self-care is too small—each step is a powerful commitment to your own well-being.

Your experiences can light the way for others who may feel guilty prioritizing themselves. By speaking openly about self-care, we show that caring for ourselves makes it possible to better care for others, face challenges with more resilience, and stay connected to what makes life meaningful.

We hope these videos inspire people to honor their own needs, to listen to their bodies and minds, and to recognize that putting themselves first sometimes is not only okay—it’s essential.

How do you practice self-care? So when you’re ready, hit record. We’re here. We’re listening.

Living in “Watch and Wait”

Tell us about your experience with active surveillance.

Hearing “We’re going to monitor things for now,” can stir up so many emotions. Relief, anxiety, confusion, even frustration. Living with a diagnosis while being told to “watch and wait” is its own kind of journey—one that’s often invisible to others.

We want to hear your story.

No script. No pressure. Just you and your story.

• Answer a few short video prompts
• Respond by video, audio, or text
• Get featured on our website, YouTube, or social media to reach others who need to hear it.

Why We’re Asking This Question

For many cancer survivors, the experience of living through watch and wait is one of the most difficult parts of the journey. It’s a time marked by uncertainty, hope, and careful preparation. It’s a phase where strength is built quietly, often without others realizing the mental and emotional work it takes to live each day under the weight of “not yet.”

Survivors who used that time to focus on their health—to strengthen their bodies, prepare mentally, and set themselves up for future treatment—carry a story that deserves to be told. It’s a story of resilience, of making invisible battles visible, and of showing that action comes in many forms, even when it doesn’t look like it from the outside.

After moving through treatment and reaching remission, there’s an even greater calling to share that journey. Telling the full story—from active surveillance to active treatment to life after—can offer real hope to others who are just starting down the same uncertain path. It shows that waiting doesn’t mean giving up, and that survival is shaped not just by medicine, but by mindset, preparation, and perseverance.

Sharing these lived experiences helps others feel less alone, more empowered, and better prepared for whatever lies ahead. Every voice makes a difference. Every story lights the way for someone else.

How Did You Advocate for the Best Care?

Tell Us About a Time You Spoke Up

Think back to a time when you found yourself advocating—maybe in a doctor’s office, a hospital room, or even in a quiet moment outside of it all. You spoke up for yourself. Or maybe for someone you love.

That moment mattered. Now it can help someone else!

So many patients and care partners struggle to find their voice. By sharing your story, you help others understand that it’s not only okay to speak up—it’s necessary. Your experience can give someone else the words they need.

Answer by Video, Audio, or Text

• What was the situation?
• What gave you the strength to speak up?
• And why do you believe that kind of self-advocacy matters—for you and for others?

Why Advocacy Stories Matter

When it comes to navigating cancer or any serious illness, self-advocacy can be life-changing. Whether it’s asking a tough question, pushing for a second opinion, requesting a different treatment option, or simply saying, “Something doesn’t feel right,” speaking up can lead to better care and greater peace of mind.

But self-advocacy isn’t always easy—especially in a system that can feel overwhelming or dismissive. That’s why stories like yours are so important. When you share what it was like to advocate for yourself or a loved one, you’re helping others realize they’re not alone in their uncertainty, their courage, or their questions.

Your experience can empower someone to speak up during an oncology appointment, advocate for their mental health, or stand strong in a moment of doubt. It can offer validation, encouragement, and even practical tips for navigating the cancer care system.

At The Patient Story, we believe that every voice matters. By taking a few minutes to share this part of your journey, you’re helping others find theirs. And in doing so, you’re helping shape a healthcare experience that truly listens.

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“But you don’t look sick?!”

If you’ve heard those words, you already know.

There’s a sting to the phrase, “But you don’t look sick.” It’s a moment many people living with invisible illness or cancer have faced. And yet, every person’s response tells a different story: strength, pain, humor, resilience, clarity.

Tell us about a time when someone said or did something to make you feel like your pain was invisible.

• Answer a few short video prompts
• Respond by video, audio, or text
• Get featured on our website, YouTube, or social media to reach others who need to hear it.

Why We’re Asking This Question

When someone says “But you don’t look sick,” it may sound innocent—but for many people living with cancer or invisible illnesses, it can feel dismissive, even painful. It overlooks the very real symptoms, emotional struggles, and daily decisions that define life with a serious diagnosis.

We believe that when you share these moments—honestly and in your own words—you not only take back the narrative, you help others find the courage to do the same.

This isn’t about having a “perfect” response. It’s about truth. It’s about giving voice to what so many experience in silence.

Maybe you laughed it off when someone said, “But you don’t look sick.” Maybe you stayed quiet. Maybe you finally said what you’d been holding in for months. Whatever your story is, we want to hear it.

Because your story matters. And it will help someone else feel like they matter, too.

So when you’re ready, hit record. We’re here. We’re listening.

Share an Impactful Moment Along Your Journey

You’ve been through a lot. Your experience can make a real difference for others.

At The Patient Story, we believe in the power of real people and honest stories. If you’ve been impacted by a serious diagnosis—like cancer or another condition—we want to hear from you.

Helping others and creating change, only takes a few minutes of your time.

• Answer a few short video prompts
• Respond by video, audio, or text
• Get featured on our website, YouTube, or social media to reach others who need to hear it.

Back to our Story Prompts