To you,

Honestly, I’m not sure how well this will work, if it even works at all, but this project means a great deal to me, which is why I thought it’d be fitting that I write the inaugural letter. My name is Amit, a neurologic physical therapist, and an advocate for humanizing healthcare, and one of my many goals is to create a platform that gives a voice to those that often go unheard.

Personally, I’ve always had a love for human connection and the feeling of sonder. The concept that everyone around you has their own detailed and intricate life story, just as you do. It’s such a beautiful way of recognizing the depths of others’ lives and the shared humanity we all have.

While working in the neurocritical care unit, I’d often find myself pulling a chair up close to the hospital bed, just listening to patients and families. Nothing else. Slowing down for a moment to put myself in their shoes, feel their emotions, and understand their experiences, has allowed me to gain perspectives I otherwise never thought I would have.

Together, I strongly believe that we can create a safe, shared space where people can share their experiences through neurologic insult or disease, whether directly impacted or indirectly exposed. In my experience working with the neurologic population thus far, I’ve seen, firsthand, the effect a diagnosis can have on an individual, a family, and a community, which is why this is so important.

None of this is easy. These stories can be hard to share. But if you’re willing and able, the messages within your experiences have the power to heal. I truly believe that. I think we can find comfort in knowing that our stories of resilience can inspire and uplift others (and, in turn, do the same for us). I once read a quote that I thought would be very fitting for this context;

“The courage it takes to share your story might be the very thing someone else needs to open their heart to hope (Anonymous, 2021).”

I like to think that when we grow this platform, there may be someone with a new diagnosis, or someone in the later stages of their condition, or somewhere in between, who reads a letter or watches a video, and finds comfort and community. Not just those who were directly impacted, but the spouse, the child, the family who may be sitting there with their heart full of love and fear, and sometimes even uncertainty. As the world of medicine and rehabilitation continues to shape the way we treat neurologic conditions, let’s continue to use our stories as a catalyst for change in hopes for a better tomorrow.

So, here’s to the first submission, with many more to come. I’m sure I can speak for everyone in saying, we can’t wait to hear from you.

From, Me