This was such a special conversation with Ijmal Haider (of “Hidden Spoons” and the “Help Us” YouTube channel). Having lived with Ulcerative Colitis for several years and spearheading many events, projects, and organizations geared towards supporting people with chronic illness, he is the definition of an awesome patient advocate.

Together, we chatted about some of his challenging moments that have led to the illumination of what’s truly important to him: honesty, medical care that gives him access to a better quality of life, communicating well with his body, and connecting with others living with chronic illness. 

These days, he’s all about lifting up the people who have helped him along the way by sharing their stories, and being a support to other folks with health challenges.