Ella Balasa is a patient advocate and a person living with cystic fibrosis. Having a biology background, she is an advocate for the development of novel therapies for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant infections. She has spoken publicly about this issue as well as relaying the value of patient voice in research – most recently at the FDA and healthcare conferences. She believes in the importance of engaging patients to be active participants in healthcare by empowering and educating them to collaborate with stakeholders to improve disease outcomes. She has become a professional patient voice in research contributing to clinical trial development, research prioritization, developing patient engagement initiatives. Ella is also involved in the CF community through being a director of the US Adult CF Association and through her passion for writing. She writes about her research and healthcare experiences and introspectively about the hardships yet triumph that comes with living with a chronic illness. She has been published on numerous platforms including MedPage Today, HuffPost, and in Pulmonary Therapy Journal. Through opportunities working with healthcare organizations and sharing her journey through writing, she aims to affect the healthcare landscape to promote self-advocacy to patients and valuable insights to organizations

Dawn Morgan was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when she was 25 years old. Little did she know two decades later she would become a bold patient leader, podcaster, and advocate. Dawn is the cohost of the Myelin & Melanin podcast where Dawn and her cohost interview patients, well known MS specialists, award winning authors, musical artists, actors, and vloggers who are themselves living with MS, or have a unique perspective on the condition and its community. With over 45,000 unique podcast downloads she strives to spotlight the varied and often unheard voices of those within the MS community. Throughout her journey, Dawn’s work has led her to be part of patient advisory committees, an advocate for women’s health overall, partner to Shift MS and Healthline. Dawn has also been featured in publications such as Well+Good, WebMD, Momentum, and Brain & Life, and MS International Federation global face of MS YouTube campaign. Despite her diagnosis she feels that MS has made her a better and stronger person. Dawn is dedicated to using her platform to amplify the many voices of MS.

Julie A. Stamm was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in 2007. Following her diagnosis, Julie made it her mission to educate, advocate, and support others battling the disease. She works tirelessly to help lessen the burden each patient has to bear. Her efforts have given her the opportunity to work with physicians, patients, and foundations across the Globe. After the birth of her son in 2016, Julie shifted her focus to supporting the children of parents with a chronic illness. Her children’s book entitled “Some Days We….”  was created to normalize differing abilities and amplify how each of us can thrive in spite of the challenges. The movement she has created has changed the apologetic tone and transformed the child and parent’s experiences into uplifting stories that highlight the patient’s resilience.

My name is Wendy Riese. I am a mother of two children and a New York City public school teacher. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, dining out, traveling, and exercising. I was diagnosed with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis ten years ago. Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune disease and presently there is no cure for it. When I first received my diagnosis, I felt devastated! Since then, I have tried various treatments for my disease. I am fortunate that my current treatment is helping me to live a better quality of life. My hope is that one day there will be a cure for the approximately 100 million individuals affected worldwide!

Through her advocacy work and partnering with different companies, Olive has gained expertise in public speaking, speaking about living with her condition and getting the emotion of the condition across to the audience. She also teaches researchers and partners about how to work with patients and involve them throughout the production/ research process. Olive has been a co-author on several articles and was also a co- author for the patient and public involvement module for the Clinical Trials Masters program at Edinburgh University. A lot of her time is spent converting academic writing into plain english to make it understandable for the reader but ensuring the correct information is still in the text.

Lyfebulb, a patient-empowerment platform that connects chronic disease patients, industry, and investors to empower patients and support user-driven innovation, and The New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF), a nonprofit dedicated to advancing stem cell research for the major diseases of our time, today announced a collaboration that will address current challenges facing the chronic disease community. The collaboration will kick off with an event focused on type 1 diabetes held at the NYSCF Research Institute in April of 2019— the first of many educational and advocacy events the organizations plan to hold.

The spring event will convene patients, advocates, scientists, and caregivers to discuss the future of chronic disease research and treatment. This program will aim to identify research needs via NYSCF’s community of researchers and stem cell thought leaders and well as Lyfebulb’s curated patient network, led by its Patient Ambassadors and Patients Entrepreneurs. Lyfebulb Patient Ambassadors are passionate individuals using their voice to advocate, share stories, create change, and inspire others living with chronic disease. Lyfebulb Patient Entrepreneurs are those who have been personally affected by a disease, whether as a patient or through a loved one, and who have created a product or service to address an issue encountered by patients.

“As a company focused on reducing the burden of living with a chronic disease, Lyfebulb’s mission aligns closely with that of NYSCF, which works in advancing knowledge and therapies using stem cell research,” said Dr. Karin (Hehenberger) Denoyer, Founder and CEO of Lyfebulb. “These events will bring together the NYSCF community, patients, chronic disease advocates, prominent thought leaders and researchers, and those who have a strong interest in advancing treatment. This group will be critical in providing real-world experience to inspire and motivate the scientists and teams conducting research for a cure.”

The NYSCF Research Institute conducts exceptional scientific research that, when translated into patient-centric terms, will be educational and inspirational to Lyfebulb’s network of persons affected by chronic disease. NYSCF scientists are investigating the causes of type 1 diabetes using state-of-the-art stem cell technology and, at the April event, will share their recent advancements in understanding the mechanisms behind the disease. They will also discuss how these findings will one day translate into personalized, effective therapies.

“NYSCF and LyfeBulb share a deep commitment to improving the lives of patients,” said Susan L. Solomon, NYSCF CEO and Co-founder. “Together, we look forward to ensuring that those suffering from chronic disease feel supported and informed as we work to improve their treatment options.”

Additional event details will be announced via Lyfebulb and NYSCF.

MINNETONKA, Minn. and NEW YORK, June 28, 2018 — Lyfebulb LLC and UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) have selected 11 Patient Entrepreneur finalists who will compete in the “Empowering Patients: An Innovation Challenge” to earn the Lyfebulb and UnitedHealth Group Innovation Award.

After a thorough screening and review of the dozens of applications submitted, Lyfebulb and UnitedHealth Group are pleased to announce the final contenders: Steve Axelrod of G-Tech Medical; Daniel Bernstein of metaMe Health; Cindy Frei of Caleb’s Cooking Company; Phyllis “PJ” Johnson of eFundYourHealth.com; Vik Kashyap of Toi Labs; Jon Margalit of Complete Start; Kishore Pardasani of Buddha Technologies (OstoBuddy); Marc Ramer of Regentys; Scott Sundvor of Nima Labs; Brett Tripp of Tripp Design; and Daniel Weinstein of Oshi Health.

The Innovation Challenge was announced April 23 and was open to established companies of all sizes whose founders have been affected by inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), whether as a patient or through a loved one, and who have created a product or service to address an issue encountered by IBD patients. The 11 finalists will attend the Challenge in Minnetonka July 24-25 at UnitedHealth Group’s headquarters. At the event, the judges will award three Patient Entrepreneurs with the most innovative and impactful solutions with prizes of $25,000, $15,000, and $10,000 for first, second and third place, respectively.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) covers a group of disorders in which the intestines become inflamed, probably as a result of an immune reaction of the body against its own intestinal tissue. The disease category covers Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. About 3 million adults nationwide reported being diagnosed with IBD as of 2015 compared with 2 million adults in 1999.

“Lyfebulb is thrilled to partner with UnitedHealth Group to bring such an exceptional group of Patient Entrepreneurs together to find new and more effective ways to address issues encountered by patients with IBD,” said Dr. Karin Hehenberger, Founder, and CEO of Lyfebulb. “We have assembled an esteemed panel of judges who will use their expertise to adjudicate the winners and provide unique insights into the businesses presented to help the entrepreneurs turn their ideas into viable healthcare solutions and potential business opportunities.”

The panel includes experts from the patient, business and medical communities including Rebecca Babcock, a Patient Ambassador at Lyfebulb; Shomit Ghose, General Partner at ONSET Ventures; Dr. Karin Hehenberger, Founder and CEO of Lyfebulb; Dr. Gerard Honig, Translational Research Manager at Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation; Dr. Scott Ketover, President and CEO at Minnesota Gastroenterology, P.A.; and Dr. Deneen Vojta, Executive Vice President of Research & Development at UnitedHealth Group.

“Through this innovation challenge, we are learning from patients and caretakers in the IBD community about specific unmet needs in the day-to-day management of IBD,” said Dr. Vojta. “At the Challenge, entrepreneurs, health care providers, patient advocates and business leaders will share information and ideas to better understand the needs of people living with IBD and discuss new and more effective ways to address a condition that is often painful and debilitating and can lead to life-threatening complications. Together, we can help bring the most innovative, effective tools – inspired by personal experiences – into the IBD marketplace.”\

About Lyfebulb
Lyfebulb is a chronic disease focused, patient empowerment platform that connects patients, industry (manufacturers and payers) and investors to support user-driven innovation. Lyfebulb promotes a healthy, take-charge lifestyle for those affected by chronic disease. Grounded with its strong foundation in Diabetes, the company has expanded disease states covered into Cancer and Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

See www.lyfebulbprod.staging.wpengine.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Karin Hehenberger LinkedIn, and Lyfebulb LinkedIn.

About UnitedHealth Group
UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) is a diversified health and well-being company dedicated to helping people live healthier lives and helping make the health system work better for everyone. UnitedHealth Group offers a broad spectrum of products and services through two distinct platforms: UnitedHealthcare, which provides health care coverage and benefits services; and Optum, which provides information and technology-enabled health services. For more information, visit UnitedHealth Group at http://www.unitedhealthgroup.com/ or follow @UnitedHealthGrp on Twitter.

Contact:

Lyfebulb
Karin Hehenberger, M.D., Ph.D., CEO
917-575-0210; Karin@lyfebulb.com

UnitedHealth Group
Tyler Mason
424-333-6122; tyler.mason@uhg.com

Havas Health & You has announced a strategic partnership Lyfebulb that will provide a unique, differentiated means of putting the voice and needs of the patient at the center of everything Havas Health & You does for its clients
NEW YORK (PRWEB) MARCH 06, 2018

Havas Health & You, a global leader in health-and-wellness communications, announced today a strategic partnership with Lyfebulb, a patient empowerment platform that promotes a healthy, take-charge lifestyle for those affected by chronic disease. The mission of Havas Health & You is to support its clients in promoting healthy-living decisions across the entire health ecosystem.

“The Havas Health & You and Lyfebulb partnership further strengthens our shared commitment to creating meaningful connections that inspire healthy living,” said Dennis Urbaniak, chief digital officer of Havas Health & You. “By leveraging Lyfebulb’s successful track record of delivering innovative solutions for some of the most complex chronic conditions, we are demonstrating our focus on real-life results that matter.”

Lyfebulb connects patients, industry, and investors to support user-driven innovation. It has built communities of patients with chronic diseases and supported leaders in these communities through its Patient Ambassador and Patient Entrepreneur programs. By bringing Lyfebulb’s community into the Havas Health & You network offering, this partnership will provide a unique, differentiated means of putting the voice and needs of the patient at the center of everything Havas Health & You does for its clients.

“Our goal is to reduce the burden of disease in patients by bringing user-driven innovation at a large scale,” said Karin Hehenberger, M.D., Ph.D., the CEO, and founder of Lyfebulb. “Together with Havas Health & You and its broad network of clients, we will accelerate our ability to bring more comprehensive, patient-focused solutions to the marketplace.”

Presenting the full picture of any disease, from patient insights to their solutions, is a key differentiator for Havas Health & You in this new partnership. The relationships that Havas Health & You have with multinational healthcare companies, in turn, will enhance Lyfebulb’s ability to execute upon its mission to reduce disease burden for people with chronic disease.

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About Havas Health & You
Havas Health & You join together the agencies and companies of Havas Health with the consumer health-and-wellness marketing communications practices across Havas companies around the world. The broadened entity and new name reflect the group’s future-forward positioning and expanded capability. Havas Health & You have built out best-in-class disciplines and integrated the many products and services the Havas agencies and companies offer across the health and wellness continuum, from Rx and OTC to health solutions.

About Lyfebulb
Lyfebulb is a chronic-disease focused patient empowerment platform that connects patients, industry (manufacturers and payers) and investors to support user-driven innovation. Lyfebulb promotes a healthy, take-charge lifestyle for those affected by chronic disease. Grounded with its strong foundation in diabetes, the company has expanded disease states covered into cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and other autoimmune diseases.

“How Patients are Driving Innovation in the Future Healthcare Environment ”

Dr. Karin Hehenberger is the founder of Lyfebulb, a business focused on bridging patient communities with industry and providing a strong voice to people living with chronic disease by empowering patient entre-preneurs. Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at an early age, Dr. Hehen-berger has dedicated her life to helping others impacted by chronic ill-nesses. Her personal history with diabetes as well as its consequences, which required kidney and pancreas transplants, provide Dr. Hehen-berger with an understanding from a patient perspective as well as a med-ical professional. It is from those experiences both as a patient and as a doctor, that Dr. Hehenberger was motivated to create Lyfebulb.

Wednesday, October 25, 2017
8:00pm

Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI); 8403 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229

Source: UT Health San Antonio

Press Contact for Lyfebulb: 
Shepard Doniger
BDCG, Inc.
561-637-5750
sdoniger@bdcginc.com

Lyfebulb brings healthier lifestyle curated gifts to shoppers this holiday season

NEW YORK, Dec. 19, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lyfebulb, an organization focused on bringing innovative products and solutions to market for those living with chronic disease and creator of the global Lyfebulb-Novo Nordisk Innovation Award, today announced the availability of its 2016 Online Holiday Gift Guide. The Holiday Gift Guide is a curated selection of the best online products for those living with diabetes and those who want to lead a healthier lifestyle in general. Many of the items were developed by “patient entrepreneurs,” who themselves live with diabetes. This concept was coined by Lyfebulb describing those who have been diagnosed with a chronic disease, or are close to someone who has, and have used this experience to create an entrepreneurial enterprise aimed at solving one or more problems their experience with chronic illness has highlighted.

We have also curated special gifts in a wide range of prices and choices for Women and Men by talented designers we admire, available at http://lyfebulbprod.staging.wpengine.com/2016/12/15/karins-2016-holiday-gift-guide/ for women and at http://lyfebulbprod.staging.wpengine.com/2016/12/16/karins-2016-holiday-gift-guide-2/ for men.

“The holiday season is here and we all love indulging our friends and family with gifts that bring joy and pleasure, but can also provide function and true benefits for those with diabetes! Our specially curated Gift Guide includes some of the most innovative yet fabulous diabetes gifts on the market!” said Dr. Karin Hehenberger, CEO and Founder of Lyfebulb.

The Diabetes Gift Guide includes a wide variety of better-for-you lifestyle and health related items ranging from the limited edition Happy Socks created by two Russian artist brothers, to the FitBit fitness tracker. The Guide also includes items such as the Sugar Sucks Sloppy Joe Sweat Shirt, and the Type One Type Happy Mug, fractions of some of these items will be donated to type 1 diabetes research.

The Women’s Gift Guide features special designer selections featuring a variety of brands ranging from such Diptyque holiday candles, an Isabel Marant sweater and a vintage Hermès bag. The Men’s guide includes items such as a Lionel Messi Barcelona Home Soccer Jersey, Orrefors tumblers, Incotex trousers, and a vintage Rolex Daytona Stainless Steel Watch.

More information about the Gift Guides, the Innovation Award, and Lyfebulb can be found on the Lyfebulb Website.

About Lyfebulb

Lyfebulb is an organization focused on bringing innovative products and solutions focused on chronic disease to market. Lyfebulb serves as a bridge between patients and industry, and its mission is to improve the quality of life of those living with chronic disease NOW.

See www.lyfebulbprod.staging.wpengine.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Karin Hehenberger LinkedIn, and Lyfebulb LinkedIn.

Press Contact for Lyfebulb:
Shepard Doniger
BDCG, Inc.
561-637-5750
sdoniger@bdcginc.com