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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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Kelly Brush

Kelly Brush

Kelly Brush Adversity: Paralysis Advocacy: Started a foundation to provide adaptive sports equipment and increase safety in ski racing, the sport in which she was injured "Through participating in adaptive sports after my injury, I proved to myself that...

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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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