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Corey Reich

Diagnosed with ALS in 2007
Founded "Corey's Crusade" to give voice to ALS sufferers

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Robert Villanueva

Diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2001
Became national speaker & trainer for The National Alliance on Mental Illness

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Meet our Advocates

Their stories of turning adversity
into advocacy will inspire you!

Browse through our collection of inspiring stories from our incredible advocates.

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Dr BJ Miller

Dr BJ Miller

BJ Miller Adversity: Triple amputee, near-death experience Advocacy: Provides palliative care to patients living and suffering with serious illness "With my dramatic adversity comes the possibility for dramatic joy. Sharing this with others makes sweet of...

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Becky Fein

Becky Fein

Becky Fein Adversity: Sexual assault Advocacy: Co-founder and director of The Powerful Voices Project; Executive Director, Verity (Sonoma County’s Sexual Assault Prevention, Intervention, and Healing Center) "Talking about my experience of sexual assault...

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Vic Ojakian

Vic Ojakian

Vic Ojakian Adversity: Loss of son to suicide Advocacy: Suicide prevention and mental health awareness activist "I love and miss my son, Adam. I channel those emotions and feelings into a determination to help others seek solutions other than killing...

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Woody Weingarten

Woody Weingarten

Woody Weingarten Adversity: Wife diagnosed with breast cancer 30 years ago, now fighting her third bout Advocacy: Book author, blogger and leader of breast cancer caregiver support group "Writing the book gave me the chance to show others going through the...

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Rebecca Alexander

Rebecca Alexander

Rebecca Alexander Adversity: Usher Syndrome (visual and hearing impairment) Advocacy: Has become the “poster child” for Usher Syndrome. "I realized I was willing to be the poster child for this disease because I wanted to raise awareness about this....

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Holly Wright

Holly Wright

Holly Wright Adversity: Lost her daughter to pediatric brain cancer Advocacy: Established a foundation to financially support families nationwide who are caring for children with brain cancer "Since my daughter's passing, I have found healing in helping...

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April Rovero

April Rovero

April Rovero Adversity: Lost a child to prescription drug use Advocacy: Founded a nonprofit to raise awareness of prescription drug safety "Every parent who has lost a child worries that, as time goes on, they will be forgotten and they want their lives to...

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David Flink

David Flink

David Flink Adversity: Learning disabilities – ADHD and dyslexia Advocacy: Started a national mentoring program for youth with learning disabilities “Mentoring has become a platform that allows people with learning differences to have our stories be seen...

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Ro Vitale

Ro Vitale

Ro Vitale Adversity: Diagnosed with severe OCD Advocacy: Speaks, writes and sings in English and Spanish to support others with OCD Photo by: Santiago Giovanetti “There’s much beauty in being of service to someone that’s battling the same adversity....

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Melody Moezzi

Melody Moezzi

Melody Moezzi Adversity: Diagnosed with bipolar disorder Advocacy: Works to reduce the stigma of mental illness as an author, blogger, speaker “The more I speak out and the more extraordinary people I meet who are living with mental illness, the more I...

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Katherine Switz

Katherine Switz

Katherine Switz Adversity: Diagnosed with Bipolar I Advocacy: Started a nonprofit that recruits community leaders to talk about their mental illness “It’s empowering to come out of the shadows. It’s great to see our impact on leaders and their impact on...

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