CHRONIC ILLNESS & DISABILITY PATIENT Advocacy PROJECTS

"DROWNING" | Heather Corini (formerly Aspell) | 2016

"DROWNING" PHOTO ESSAY

Heather took a series of photographs in August 2016 depicting her life with multiple complex chronic illnesses that require her to take numerous medications every day.

You can view the photo essay here.

"MAKING THE INVISIBLE VISIBLE" PHOTO PROJECT AND ESSAY

As an ePatient Scholar for Stanford's 2016 Medicine X Conference, Heather wrote an essay summarizing her thought process behind taking #HospitalGlam selfies and other photos documenting her daily experiences managing her chronic illnesses. You can read the essay with 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.

"Call Doctor if you Experience...." | Heather Corini | 2016

ART CREATED FOR STANFORD’S MEDICINEX CONFERENCE ‘16

As an ePatient Scholar for Stanford's 2016 Medicine X Conference, Heather created multiple pieces of artwork expressing the realities of living with chronic illness and disability.

You can view the artwork she created for MedX 2016 here.

"1,000 Words" STORYTELLING SLIDESHOW

Heather created this sample storytelling slideshow featuring photos from her Instagram. The slideshow seeks to tell a story about Heather's experiences with chronic illness using only photographs. February 2016,

You can view the slideshow here.

Interview ON "IN SICKNESS + IN HEALTH"

Heather was interviewed in February 2016 for the "In Sickness + In Health" Podcast. In the episode, Heather discusses developing symptoms of PTSD as a result of her medical experiences. You can listen to the episode on the In Sickness + In Health website.

Selfie of Heather Corini taken at Stanford MedX 2016

Select OTHER MENTIONS, publications & Awards

Heather was interviewed regarding her participation in the viral #HIGHRISKCOVID19 awareness campaign for the March 17, 2020 article published by WEGO Health entitled “Raising Awareness for #HighRiskCovid19 Patients.”
Heather’s writing about the use of the term “ePatient” was featured in a NYU Press book published in August 2018 and edited by Kelly E. Happe, Jenell Johnson and Marina Levina entitled “Biocitizenship: The Politics of Bodies, Governance, and Power.”
In September 2017 Heather spoke on a panel entitled “Misconceptions about opioid use: A Medicine X discussion” at Stanford University’s 2017 Medicine X Conference.
Heather’s art was featured in a January 28, 2018 article co-authored by Elizabeth Jameson and Catherine Monahon entitled “Six interviews with artists who redefine illness and disability."
Heather's #HospitalGlam photos were featured in the March 3, 2017 Wired article "Social Media Influencers Finally Come to . . . Medicine"
Heather's #HospitalGlam photos were featured in the slideshow for the December 22, 2016 Refinery29 article "Why These Patients Are Taking Selfies From Their Hospital Beds"
Heather was chosen as a finalist for the 2016 WEGO Health Activist Awards and was nominated in multiple other years.