My team
My Story…
See my Instagram and Facebook for updates on the hiking I will be doing over the week!
Instagram: @jennlindriehl
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.lind.90?mibextid=ZbWKwL
My story: I have experienced moderate to severe chronic migraine since 2008. It has disrupted every aspect of my life. For the last 15 years, I have had to constantly adapt to changes in my migraine disorder over time (chronic to episodic and back to chronic), counteract stigmatization in my professional and private life, argue with the insurance industry for coverage of effective and safe medications, invest time to find and work with a health care team that can address my disorder with me, and remind myself that I am more than my migraine disorder and it is not my fault that I have this chronic illness. Over the years I have learned a lot about myself and this disorder and have had the privilege to allow space for this growth. I hope that by sharing my story and using my time to advocate for those who do not have as much privilege, I can help change the way our society views and assists people with invisible illnesses like migraine and headache disorders.
Why we need better awareness and support for migraine: Despite migraine affecting 1 in 6 Americans, the US government spends about 1/5th of what it should spend. The total indirect cost associated with migraine is $197 billion, 81% of which is attributed to absenteeism. The estimated medical cost for US adults with migraine is up to $56 billion/year. Migraine is the most prevalent disabling neurological condition globally according to the WHO affecting 1.3 billion people. However, it is highly stigmatized because it is invisible, people with episodic or mild migraine often dismiss the severity of those on the more severe end of the migraine spectrum, and it has a persistent historical negative perception largely due to gender bias (migraine occurs in women ~3x more than in men).
More resources:
Migraine and stigma: https://www.instagram.com/p/CrMEC_byfsB/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://allianceforheadacheadvocacy.org/
https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/
https://americanheadachesociety.org/
Recent donors
| Donation date | Donor name | Donation amount |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 02 | Anonymous | Undisclosed amount |
| May 28 | Laura & Ed Owens | $53.00 |
| May 27 | carrie lauters | $26.50 |
| May 25 | Scott Lind | $53.00 |
