For people affected by rare diseases, finding and connecting to a community can be incredibly empowering. And storytelling is one of the best ways to forge connections to other people and other points of view – hearing someone’s story, identifying with their struggles, celebrating their victories and walking a mile, or an hour, in their shoes. Storytelling can help break through isolation and connect people who may not live near another person with the same diagnosis.
And the ever-more-popular podcast is one of the best media for storytelling, particularly for the rare disease community. Podcasts can be downloaded and listened to during a busy parent’s schedule, or while a rare disease patient travels to or waits for a medical procedure. It’s an accessible, flexible and consistent way to tell stories and connect to the rare disease community.
We’ve highlighted five podcasts from the rare disease community that inspire, inform, empower and create connection.