125: Fight Like A Warrior Founder Alexa Chronister

Uninvisible Pod with Lauren Freedman

Alexa Chronister is the founder and president of Fight Like A Warrior (FLAW). She created FLAW after creating the Cards For Warriors program (sending handmade cards of encouragement to chronic illness warriors across the globe, reminding them they are not alone) in 2016. With the goal of creating a community of empowerment and improving the lives of those with chronic health conditions, she developed FLAW as a way to cope with her own health challenges, while giving back to others (and won a WEGO Health award in 2019 to prove it!). In 2020, she received her bachelor's degree with honors distinction in public policy (with a minor in social entrepreneurship!) from the University of Delaware, and completed a thesis focused on health policy and disease advocacy among POTS patients. Never a shrinking violet, she also plans to attend law school and pursue a career in health policy. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Alexa was instrumental in launching FLAW’s #ProtectTheVulnerable campaign, in partnership with numerous patient advocacy platforms including Health Advocacy Summit (founded by former guest Sneha Dave!), Support Fibro (founded by former guest Melissa Talwar), and InvisiYouth (founded by former guest Dominique Viel), among others. Alexa has a passion for working with individuals and communities to advance policy, advocacy, and entrepreneurial efforts, particularly within healthcare, focused on improving access and reducing inequity. [A note that this episode was recorded a year ago, hence features some dated mentions of the #ProtectTheVulnerable campaign and Alexa’s recent college graduation!]

Tune in as Alexa shares:

• how she was diagnosed with hypermobility syndrome in childhood and, later, Ehlers-Danlos and POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome)
• how she has learned to step up into the advocacy space
• how she manages her health day-to-day
• why it’s so vital our various practitioners find ways to communicate to one another about our cases
• how access directly impacts healthcare outcomes and patient experiences
• what inspired her to start Cards for Warriors at the age of 18, and how it laid the groundwork for what would become Fight Like A Warrior
• why it’s so important to listen to our bodies, especially as Spoonies
• the importance of self-advocacy
• what the future holds for FLAW

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