by Ashleigh Papp As we inch towards the longer days and warmer nights, the summer months seem to hang in front of us like a lure on a string. I find myself daydreaming about that feeling of the sunshine being absorbed into my skin and almost immediately following, I remind myself about sunscreen. Whether you’re light skinned or dark, young or old, we all know that the crispy red skin of a sunburn is something to be feared and that…
by Genevieve Lowles It was a Friday in May when I made the phone call. A bright and dusty morning, I’d just passed the crowded entrance of Stockwell tube station in London. There are so many people, full of direction and purpose. I’m on the way to work, because it’s 8:30 in the morning, and that’s what I do at that time. My head is full of voices, wordless chattering and the sound of my own uneven breathing. It churns…
by Chloe Moloney I am addicted to thinking. My brain jumps straight on the express train to disaster – often jumping to poisonous conclusions that the worst is the only possible outcome. I have to admit, it has taken me close to twenty years to understand that my pattern of thinking is distorted, but understanding this in itself has proven to be the first step in fixing the incessant flurry of thoughts in my head. I struggle intensely with this…
by Jordan Griffing I had a wonderful childhood, but when I look back on it, I don’t always think of the family trips or the great adventures or the wonderful people who surrounded me. What I remember are the hospitals and doctors’ offices, the television shows and movies I watched when I couldn’t play outside, and the games my mom and I would make up to pass the time. I still vividly remember the day my mom came to pick…
by Lauren Jonik No one expects to develop a chronic illness. After all, the common narrative around health is that people who get sick either get well within a certain time frame or they pass away. But for many people, there is a universe in between that requires daily navigation. According to the National Health Council, 133 million Americans live with ongoing, incurable conditions. There is little doubt that chronic illness brings challenges above and beyond coping with symptoms. Health…