Fight Like a Warrior (2026)

10/06/2024

Get to know our Fight Like A Warrior Ambassador ! 💪

- - - - -

“Hello everyone my name is Saida Mahoney, I am 27 years old and I live in Oakland, CA. I’m an advocate and activist for disability, mental health, and rare diseases, as well as an ambassador for numerous organizations, a legislative leader, performing artist, beauty pageant queen, athlete, writer (proud author of 9 books), podcaster, traveler, and so much more!

I was born with an extremely rare genetic disease called Partial Trisomy 8q Duplication Syndrome (Partial Trisomy 8q for short). My genetic disease is a serious and severe chronic medical condition that affects me physically, developmentally, cognitively, and neurologically; it also impacts my speech/language, growth stature, and causes me to have craniofacial abnormalities, tremors, and difficulty eating/drinking.

Along with Partial Trisomy 8q I also have IBS, neuromuscular diseases (NMD), Cerebral Palsy (CP), two chronic heart diseases (Vascular Ring & Right Aortic Arch), asthma, and different forms of allergies (food, drugs, insects, and environmental). I also have mental health disabilities such as depression, PTSD, anxiety, and OCD.

I don’t let any of my chronic conditions stop me from doing anything at all! I love doing everything I can to help others and advocate for all important matters in this world, such as educating others about the importance of honoring abilities rather than focusing on the disability. I also love inspiring people to believe that your medical conditions and rare diseases DO NOT define who you are—YOU define yourself!

My name is Saida and I am 100% abled and I am proud to be rare!!!!

You can follow my journey on IG, Wordpress, and my podcast channel .”

- - - - -

Looking forward to hearing more? Then stay tuned for more posts from Saida! 💬

[Image description: Saida (a woman with short, brown hair) is smiling and standing in front of a background that says “DisCo at the capitol” repeatedly. She is wearing an orange shirt, lanyard, and pin. One hand is resting on her hip while the other holds a folder at her side.]

08/06/2024

WARRIOR OF THE MONTH FEATURE: 💪 “My name is Hithaishi (a.k.a Tish) and I’m a proud spoonie mamma.

Over the last 20 years I’ve battled the medical system through many misdiagnoses but learned how to access the appropriate healthcare. This eventually led to formal diagnoses of endometriosis, adenomyosis, Crohn’s disease & TMJ dysfunction.

I live in Australia with my beautiful family (my incredible husband, 6 year old rainbow baby daughter, and twin 3 year old boys) who have been my constant source of strength (plus a few new grey hairs). They are who I fight like a warrior for. Becoming a mother had its share of challenges so I aim to raise awareness about fertility, miscarriage, pregnancy/twin pregnancy, hyperemesis gravidarum/other pregnancy related complications, post-partum maternal health, and all things motherhood.

As a high school science teacher I’m passionate about education, social justice, and health equity. That, along with both my positive and negative/traumatic experiences, were what motivated me to help others navigating chronic illness. I work towards breaking stigmas, myths, and misconceptions while empowering people to live a full life despite the challenges of chronic illness. I find laughter is the best medicine and try to break up the seriousness of our conditions with a sense of humor when I can, by sharing funny stories or memes.

One of my favorite quotes is “the wound is where the light enters” by Rumi. So far my life has been evidence of these words. I’ve experienced the depths of heartache and trauma, but have also felt my heart could burst simply from happiness. I encourage anyone battling chronic illness to embrace the glimmers of joy and hope that life has to offer along the way. My blog “Luminous Wounds” (whose name is inspired by Rumi’s words and my experiences) is a platform that gives my pain purpose. It’s been a beautiful silver lining knowing that sharing my story and what I’ve learned helps others have a faster diagnosis or be guided through the medical system.

My goal with .wounds is to help improve patient outcomes, reduce delays in diagnosis, and develop a community of compassionate like-minded warriors.”

26/05/2024

May is Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Awareness Month!

🦓 What is EDS?

Comprised of 14 different subtypes, EDS is a genetic connective tissue disorder that can impact the strength and structure of the collagen (and other proteins!) in one’s body.

💡Think of collagen as our body’s “glue.” When that glue is defective, significant disfunction can occur such as joint dislocations, organ prolapse and more.

🦓 Why is Awareness So Important?

💡Diagnosis time! From onset of symptoms, the average diagnosis time for EDS is 14 years! One of the goals of this month is to increase medical professionals’ knowledge and understanding of EDS. The more doctors that not only understand but also treat EDS, the more patients that will receive the quality, comprehensive and supportive care they deserve.
💡Research: There is a significant research gap. Research can help improve the quality of life of EDS patients significantly by providing a more comprehensive understanding of the pathology behind EDS and how we can treat EDS effectively!
💡Building community: Living with a chronic condition can be lonely and isolating. Fostering connections with fellow EDSers can make a world of a difference and help people feel less alone, which is so important!

🦓 Community Question: Fellow EDS warriors, what does EDS awareness month mean to you? How do you raise awareness? Comment down below!

[Image description in comments.]

16/05/2024

Help us welcome .with.Joc as a Fight Like A Warrior ambassador! 💪

“Hi! I am Jocelyn and I am turning 23 in August! I was introduced to Fight Like A Warrior by a previous ambassador who mentored me while I was getting diagnosed. My story began in Winter of 2021 when I began passing out consistently with no triggers. Fast forward to the Fall of 2023 and I was finally diagnosed with POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia) and VVS (Vasovagal Syncope).

Fight Like A Warrior is important to me because of the support I received during my lowest points of this journey. I have been an athlete (soccer, specifically) from age 4 - present day. It’s extremely frustrating knowing we should be at peak fitness levels, yet it seems our bodies are working against us.

A little about me is I work full time in Human Resources and part time I am an Assistant Coach for girls soccer! I love to travel when my body allows, reading, and spending time in nature. I’m excited to get started as an ambassador!”

Stay tuned for more posts about Jocelyn, her journey, and how she supports and advocates for the chronic illness community! 💬

(Image description pinned in comments.)

15/05/2024

A big part of living with a chronic illness is making sure that you get the appropriate care. That means ensuring your concerns are heard by your medical providers, and that those concerns are taken care of in a way you both agree on.

A sad reality of advocating for yourself with doctors is that you can sometimes be seen as a “difficult patient”. Although it may be uncomfortable, it’s important that you stand up for yourself and fight for treatments, tests, and diagnoses as necessary—after all, you know your body best! Chronic illness journeys are difficult enough, finding a medical team that you believe are there to help you can make all the difference. That requires trust that your concerns will be met with respect and consideration, as well as trust that your team is properly taking care of you. There’s no shame in speaking up or changing doctors if you feel your needs aren’t being met.

Self-advocacy is key, and you absolutely are NOT a difficult patient for doing so!

[Image description: on a gray background there is an illustration of two hands hold up a sign that says “advocating for myself does not make me a difficult patient”]

23/06/2023

ONE MORE WEEK LEFT TO PARTICIPATE!!!
- - - - -
Fight Like a Warrior is partnering with Richmont Graduate University’s Research Department to further research into how certain factors can affect the quality of life in persons with autoimmune diseases. An online study is being conducted to better understand the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and current health-related quality of life. This study has been approved by the IRB and is in need of participants who have been diagnosed with at least one autoimmune disorder and are at least 18 years of age. To participate, fill out the survey here: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7324861/Adverse-Childhood-Experiences-Dissociation-and-Alexithymia-as-P

If you qualify for this study, we’d love for you to participate as research is foundational in creating change and advocacy for chronic illness warriors by helping research experts better understand the experiences and struggles spoonies face.

Image description: There is a blue graphic with the words “Online research opportunity” and a clipart image of an awareness ribbon and a blue spoon. Additional information in the graphic includes: "Richmont Graduate University Research Department" "June 4 - June 30" "Are you an autoimmune spoonie? We invite you to participate in a study that seeks to understand how early life experiences relate to autoimmune-related quality of life,” “Have any questions? Don't hesitate to reach out [email protected]”

13/06/2023

CALLING ALL CHRONICALLY ILL BUSINESS OWNERS… 📢

Fight Like A Warrior wants to promote your business in our upcoming newsletter!!! Along with advertising your business, we hope to give insight into what it’s like being both a small business owner and a chronic illness warrior. To participate fill out the form (found here: https://forms.gle/w82XV2Y6kB2brjmy8) by SATURDAY, JUNE 24TH.

Help us encourage others to support spoonie-owned businesses by tagging a shop you think should be featured! 🛍️🌟

Image description: blue, gray, and peach abstract shapes create a border around the graphic. Simple line drawings of a shopping cart, price tag, and shopping bag along with flourishes overlie the shapes. A thought bubble with a circled megaphone on the top left corner points towards the text. Text on image reads “Are you a spoonie with a small business? Do you have a favorite spoonie-owned place to shop? WE WANT TO SHOWCASE THEM! We are doing a special ‘Shop Spoonie’edition of our newsletter and are looking to highlight small businesses created by chronic illness warriors. CLICK ON THE LINK IN OUR BIO TO BE FEATURED”

13/06/2023

Fight Like a Warrior is partnering with Richmont Graduate University’s Research Department to further research into how certain factors can affect the quality of life in persons with autoimmune diseases. An online study is being conducted to better understand the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and current health-related quality of life. This study has been approved by the IRB and is in need of participants who have been diagnosed with at least one autoimmune disorder and are at least 18 years of age. To participate, fill out the survey here: survey.alchemer.com/s3/7324861/Adverse-Childhood-Experiences-Dissociation-and-Alexithymia-as-P.

If you qualify for this study, we’d love for you to participate as research is foundational in creating change and advocacy for chronic illness warriors by helping research experts better understand the experiences and struggles spoonies face.

Image description: There is a purple graphic with the words “Calling all autoimmune spoonies!” and a clipart image of an awareness ribbon and a gray spoon. Additional information in the graphic includes: "Richmont Graduate University invites you to participate in an online study that seeks to understand how early life experiences relate to autoimmune-related quality of life,” “Richmont Graduate University Research Department,” “June 4 - June 30,” “Have any questions? Don't hesitate to reach out [email protected] THANK YOU!”

18/04/2023

Meet the 2023 cohort for our Fight Like a Warrior Ambassador program!

We are excited to welcome both returning and new ambassadors to the program!

Our ambassadors are from across the states, Canada, and the UK! They have a variety of chronic, physical, and mental illnesses and are passionate about advocating for the chronic/invisible illness and disabled communities.

To find out more information, visit our website or click the link in our bio. Also, look out for their posts in the coming year!

Welcome to the Fight Like a Warrior team, ambassadors!

31/03/2023

Today is World Bipolar Day!

Bipolar disorder is a chronic, lifelong mental health condition that is often misunderstood. The purpose of World Bipolar Day (WBD) is to combat these misconceptions, end stigma surrounding the illness, as well as promote awareness and mindfulness towards bipolar conditions.

Fight Like A Warrior believes that mental illnesses are just as important to acknowledge as those that manifest physically. To support the chronic illness warriors in our community that are affected by bipolar disorder, we wanted to share some information and insight to further the mission of WBD.

Fight Like a Warrior

10/06/2024

08/06/2024

26/05/2024

16/05/2024

15/05/2024

23/06/2023

13/06/2023

13/06/2023

18/04/2023

31/03/2023

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Practice

Shortcuts

Share

Listing takedown request

Saved & Alerts

Saved businesses

Following

New for you

Saved to Saved & Alerts.

Enable notifications