Patient Support Organizations exist to support patients’ education and awareness about diseases, treatment options, and their advantages and disadvantages from the perspective of the patient.  

Simply put, information is power and with the age of the Internet, there is not only an increased volume of information out there, but an increased desire from the patient’s perspective to be well-informed about their illness and their treatment options.  

Gone are the days where patients accept a lack of information about the disease that affects them.  Not only are patients interested in learning for their own sake, but also for the sake of their families and friends, and at times to make sure that they are getting thorough information and care from their physicians.  

In a recent study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, the data show that fifty-two million American adults, approximately 55% of American adults with Internet access, have utilized online resources to get health or medical information.  This makes Patient Support Organizations that are clear and objective and that aid in access to care even more appropriate.  At the foundation, these concepts closely align with our mission to increase awareness across the entire community – which certainly includes patients.  

While we field questions and inquires via phone and the internet from patients with a wide range of conditions, we’ve begun our Patient Support Initiatives at the foundation with Fibroid Relief, a patient support organization for women suffering from uterine fibroids.  For more information on Fibroid Relief, please take a look at the summary here or learn more at Fibroid Relief’s website.