Mamas Facing Forward

I’ve been busy the past couple of days at the Patient Affordability in Practice Roundtable—discussing policies in Colorado that impact patients’ ability to access and afford life-changing medications.

I want to sincerely thank , , and for taking the time to meet with us and listen to our concerns. Our Mamas Facing Forward support group includes 3K+ parents and prospective parents living with chronic illness, and often it is only with access to these life-changing medications that we are able to grow and care for our families.

I also made some amazing new patient advocacy friends—, , .lupus, and .informed—and was glad to reconnect with and . Even though we represent many different diagnoses, we have so much in common and can make a real difference working together. I look forward to continuing this collaboration!

Lastly, thank you to and the Community Access National Network (CANN) for the invitation. I truly appreciate the opportunity to share how chronic illness impacts parents and the families they are raising.

What does “affordability” mean to you as a patient?

Mamas Facing Forward is back at the advocacy table today to discuss patient affordability with many different stakeholders!

Yesterday my advocacy work took me to the Colorado State Capitol for Chronic & Rare Disease Awareness Day — and it was one of those days that reminds me why this work matters so much. 💜

My own State Representative, Kyle Brown, stopped by our breakfast, and I had the chance to share more about how Mamas Facing Forward works to support parents and parents-to-be living with chronic illness.

Later, I served as a Lobby Captain, guiding a group of first-time advocates through the (very real!) chaos of calling their Representatives and Senators off the floor to meet with us. 😅

Our team represented rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, hemophilia, and Parkinson’s — and everyone bravely shared their story. While our diagnoses may differ, our experiences and concerns overlap in so many ways.

The message we heard again and again from lawmakers?

👉 Your story matters.
👉 Real-life examples shape how bills are understood.
👉 Personal impact drives policy.

If you’ve ever wondered whether speaking up makes a difference — it does. Always.

I have mixed feelings about AI (especially as a mom!) but I have to admit I was curious about the current trend of asking it to make a caricature based on what it knows about me. I thought the result was pretty funny—but it got even funnier when I told it I was left handed and that I usually do my writing on a laptop!!

What do you think of them?

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Today is National IV Nurse Day! Have you used infusion therapy to help manage your chronic illness? Take a minute to thank your infusion nurse!!

January is Birth Defects Prevention Month, and MotherToBaby is an amazing resource when it comes to making decisions about medications during pregnancy. If you’re pregnant or planning a pregnancy, this article explains why it is important to talk with your health care provider before starting or stopping medications. It also offers a useful list of questions that you may want to discuss with your doctor as you make these decisions.

Making Medication Decisions in Pregnancy Doesn’t Have to Be Lonely - Mamas Facing Forward This article explains why it is important to talk with your health care provider before starting or stopping medications. It also offers a useful list of questions that you may want to discuss with your doctor as you make these decisions.