PHOTOGRAPHY

Since 2013, Heather has been taking photographs on her iPhone documenting her daily experiences managing her chronic illnesses. By sharing self-portraits taken in medical spaces, pictures of the daily management of her chronic illnesses, photos of medication, and medical equipment, and photos of her using her mobility aids, Heather seeks to normalize the experience of being chronically ill and disabled as a younger person and challenge common misconceptions about disability and chronic illness.  

Read more about Heather's thought process behind taking these photos, and her reflections on the positive impact taking these photos has had on her experience as a patient after 3 years of taking and sharing these images here.

You can see Heather's photo essay project (designed to be shared with healthcare providers at Stanford’s MedicineX Conference which she attended as an “ePatient Scholar” in 2016 and 2017) entitled "Drowning" depicting the emotional impact of living with multiple complex chronic illnesses that require her to take many medications every single day here.

Follow Heather on Instagram to see more of her iPhone photography, including images of her artwork and her cats Samson & Delilah, and of course, lots of medical selfies, and photos of her using her mobility aids to have as many adventures as possible!

Medical Self-Portraits

"Selfies" taken in typically dehumanizing medical spaces.

#MEDAESTHETIQUES

Photos of medication, medical spaces, and medical equipment.

Mobility AIDS            

Photos of Heather using mobility aids in everyday life.