


The Patient Whisperer
In medicine, plain language saves lives, which is why Jennifer Pearce dedicated her career to helping patients understand doctors, and the other way around.

Charting Her Own Flight Plan
A hearing disability grounded K. Renee Horton from becoming an astronaut. But it didn’t stop her from realizing her dream of working at NASA.
What Women Need To Know About Heart Disease
A heart attack can look very different for a woman than it does a man. As a national heart disease spokesperson, Shalini Suryanarayana wants women to know the warning signs.
Fighting Cancer In A Country Without A Word For It
Philippa Kibugu-Decuir aims to prevent breast cancer deaths in East Africa using a survivor’s most powerful weapon: knowledge.

A Mighty Blow Against Sleep Apnea
By teaching them to play the didgeridoo, Alex Suarez helps fellow sleep apnea sufferers breathe easier.

Tripping The Light Fantastic
After his own isolated childhood, professional dancer Antoine Hunter works to share the gifts of deaf and hard of hearing dancers with the world.
Saving The World From Vertigo
After suffering her own severe issues with the condition, Carol Foster invented a new way to combat vertigo that has won fans around the world.

Beauty Beyond Psoriasis
As a beauty blogger, Christina Patrice has made her condition visible to the whole world.

Art That Makes People Think: “This Is How I Feel.”
Medical student-turned-designer Josie Vallely uses collaborative visual art to tell the unheard stories of people with health conditions and to affect broader social change.
Folks is an online magazine dedicated to telling the stories of remarkable people who refuse to be defined by their health issues. By sharing the experiences of these individuals, we hope to change people’s notions about what it means to be ‘normal’.
Editorially independent, Folks is sponsored and published by PillPack. Part of our mission at PillPack is to create healthcare experiences that empower people. We don’t believe people are defined by their conditions. We pay our contributors, and we don’t sell advertising.
If you’d like to partner with Folks, or share a story, let us know at folks@pillpack.com.
John Brownlee, Editor-in-Chief
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