Praise related to Kelly’s work on behalf of RA patients.
Honors and service
2016 Best Arthritis Blog, Chronic Pain Disorders.com
2012 Sharecare has selected Kelly as the top online influencer for RA
2012 Healthline’s Best Health Blog, second place
2011 WebMD Health Hero Award, WebMD Magazine, “Champions of Care”
2011 Best Practices in Healthcare Social Media, Symplur
2010-2013 Advisory Board, Center for Social Media, Mayo Clinic
August 2011 Chair of Cheer, Symplur, Exemplary use of healthcare social media
2010-2013 Patient advocate and blogger, WEGO Health
2010 Best Use of Twitter for Health, Shorty Award for Twitter
2010 Top e-Patient, Organized Wisdom
2010-present HON Seal, Health on the Net – re-awarded annually
Testimonials about Kelly
Thousands of glowing praises have been written for Kelly’s work.
Here are a few favorites.
“I want to thank you personally for your website. As one with RA, it’s kinda my go-to place. It’s the best balanced place I’ve found online that has both the scientific stuff behind the disease as well as all the personal and the emotional stuff. It’s a wonderful balance… I can go there and know that I’ll find legitimate resources for it from a professional place and yet also have the voice of the patient behind it.” Lisa Copen, founder of Invisible Illness Awareness Week
“Read your article in the BMJ ;346:f2901. The most important article I’ve read in years and I’m really grateful. Will change my approach to patients completely in Critical Care and Emergency Medicine. Essential reading for every medical professional. Keep up the fantastic work.” Francis Andrews MD
“I really admire you. You fight not for yourself, but for those who cannot or know not how.” Jose
“I’m quite impressed… your website really gives people who are interested in this disease a patients’ perspective… That is really a very impressive story how you’ve reached out to other groups and others have found you.” David Borenstein, MD, prior president of the American College of Rheumatology
“I’m an avid reader of you and I can’t begin to tell you the help you’ve given us with your strength. You’re truly an amazing person.” Michael
“You have a true gift. Please don’t stop what you are doing. It’s easy to become discouraged, and then I read your blog. Thank you.” Belinda, RN
“Anyone with an interest in Rheumatoid Arthritis who isn’t yet following rawarrior should do so,” Ronan Kavanaugh, MD
“As always, you have some of the best, most thorough and reliable info. Easy to understand, not designed to scare me, but not leaving out anything important that I ought to know about and not dumbed down either.” Leslie
“Kelly, thanks for this fantastic resource for those of us with RA. I have not found a better place to get the facts without painting a pretty picture.” Ed
“Kelly the word is out that the RA Warrior is a force to be reckoned with!” Donna
“Kelly is a true champion in every sense of the word and much of my knowledge has been a result of her vigilant research.” Randy
“You are blessing to so many people fighting this ugly disease.” Jamie
“I felt so alone in my suffering and yes grief. I was searching for a site that provided support but at the same time accurate facts. You see I am a family physician. I acknowledge the shortcomings of my profession that you have pointed out. I feel I’ve always been empathic with my pts but it does not compare to my new perspective and the new and improved empathy I have that cannot be taught.” C.B., MD
“You helped me sort out some of my fears and concerns about these medicines. Coming from a position of strength and positivity is very empowering for me today. Today I’m educated about these and not as fearful.” JM
“rawarrior teaches me the power and influence of advocacy,” Derek Warnick, CME Director at Curatio CME Institute in Exton, PA
“You may not be a rheumatologist and you may not have an MD, but in the short time I’ve read RA Warrior, I have found more understanding, more common sense, and more rigorous logic in your writing than I have found in many, if not all, of the other sites I read. This is a confusing disease, and if you did nothing more than ask the important questions you ask, you would be providing a wonderful public service. But you do much more.” Harry
“Being about a nanosecond inside of a diagnosis, I found your site quickly and am grateful I did. Thanks for the obvious hard work you’ve put in here. Bravo.” Deirdre
“Thanks for all that you do. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that you are probably giving some people the hope they need to keep going, as opposed to holing up in their homes and giving up on life.” Tanya
“While I won’t visit some sites because they seem to be a pity fest, I love the focus on education, support, and advocacy I see here on RA Warrior. I work for an Independent Living Center and serve people with chronic conditions. I recommend the site to my consumers.” Laura
“This blog is like an oasis in a dry land. It is where I feel understood, not judged, and where I am lifted up by others who are going through the same thing.” Nancy
“I think you are the best thing going on for RA. I think you are the ‘go to’ source for information that is relevant and research-based. And you address issues that people actually living with disease want addressed.” Diana
“I am so grateful for the abundance of information. You are ahhhhh-mazing!” Mona
“I begin 2011 as an informed, diagnosed, empowered patient/partner who is using what I learn at RAW to help inform my treatment decisions. RAW has been a primary resource in my 2010 journey” Jackie
“You have been the mentor for so many who are fighting the battle. Your honesty, your advice, your well–researched RA info, your constant push for changes, and your caring attitude for all of us whom you don’t even know, have already made you a winner to so many people.” Vi
“I appreciate your intelligent approach to researching and engaging the medical establishment; and I am particularly grateful that you do so from such a deeply spiritual place.” Helen
“Thanks Kelly. I know people tell you this all of the time but I just want to tell you that if it weren’t for all of your work we would all be suffering sooo much more. I never would have had the knowledge or the courage to be persistent with the dr. You are literally a lifesaver! So thank you!” Tracy
“Thank you so much for being you Kelly. Your blog gives me the courage to want to fight this and get awareness out there.” Tanya
“You are such an inspiration to me. When I’m having a bad moment I realize how easy it would be to give up. Then I think of everything you do to help not only yourself, but all of us who have found your blog ♥ you rock girl ♥” Rosie
“You make my heart sing. I hope you know how much it means to have someone who knows exactly what we’re going through… You are my Heroine.” Noelle
“You are a treasure to the patient movement!!” Martin Young, MD
“The tears have been flowing, along with a few chuckles, and I wanted to send you a heartfelt thank you for such a thorough website. Sometimes knowing that I’m not the only one out there with this life-changing disease, helps enormously. It is not my normal MO to contact the people behind the scenes, but rather I peruse, or ‘stalk’ a site, for information and assistance. I must say your site is the best I’ve seen, and I just wanted to say….Thank You! You’ve helped me tonight when I needed it most.” Lynda
“This site is like a warm blanket on a cold night, a good laugh when you really need it, a good cry when you REALLY need it, the feeling of someone else beside you, pushing your chin up when no one else is there, the warm feeling you get from hot cocoa or a SHOT of whiskey, the knowing you are not alone, when you need someone to understand or just to listen here you are.” Rosie
“You’ve been able to make RA understandable to everyone and I must say I’m really tired of trying to explain how it feels to have it. I’m jumping on your warrior bandwagon while I can still move. Somehow, we have to make people understand we really DO have a miserable disease and we aren’t being lazy and whiny. Thank you for all you do for the rest of us Kelly. I know the sacrifice it takes for you to accomplish what you do.” Beth
Hi, I just stumbled upon your blog and I wanted to thank you very much. It is the most fair, balanced insightful, informative and REAL corner of the internet concerning RA I have found to date. The range of issues and your attitude towards them is very refreshing. I am a 30 year old male who was diagnosed three years ago and I, as an RA sufferer, am in complete agreement with most of your opinions. Thanks again. And again, for having somewhere to feel I’m not alone and that my concerns and attitudes do have compatriots out there somewhere….” Kevin G
“Kelly is a star, a unique combination of no-nonsense and boundless compassion, of business savvy and selfless passion to help others beating back RA. Kelly has channeled her intellect and drive to help thousands of people – and our company – tremendously.” Jack Barrette, CEO, WEGO Health
“Among those who have the autoimmune disease, rheumatoid arthritis, Kelly Young serves as a source of information and inspiration. She promotes patient empowerment, encouraging patients to become a member of their own healthcare team and learn as much about the disease as possible. Kelly takes time to read the latest medical articles about RA diagnosis and treatment and then provides that information in easy to understand articles through her blog, Facebook page and Twitter page. Kelly shows what is possible for patients who are just beginning the RA patient journey while offering hope for patients regardless of when they were diagnosed. I highly recommend Kelly and her excellent patient information to anyone who has RA and for their loved ones.” Carol Trivett Britton, Director, Hospital Communications, Tenet Healthcare
“Kelly’s professionalism is impeccable. She does what she says she’s going to do and then delivers even more. I’m grateful that online technologies have made it possible for me to meet and collaborate with Kelly Young.” Meredith Gould, DBA Meredith Gould
“Kelly is an amazing person whose web page dwarfs the importance of the multimillion dollar non-profits concerning RA. The accuracy of medical information and support she provides is treasured by thousands of us around the world.” Jay Sprinkel, Senior Biologist, Mote Marine Laboratory
“It is my distinct pleasure to offer a recommendation for Kelly’s past — and I’m certain— future efforts. Kelly’s is a tireless fire-starter and has helped many, many patients who suffer from Inflammatory Arthritis and have not found the information they were seeking from the medical community. As creator of the Rheumatoid Arthritis Warrior website, she offers RA patients a site full of meaningful and actionable information. She is a tireless advocate and deserves a ton of kudos for her efforts.” Howard Luks MD, Chief, Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy, University Orthopedics, PC
“Kelly’s writing is always clear, concise, and informative. She brings the patient voice to the forefront while bridging the gap between scientific literature and practical hands-on knowledge of living as a person with rheumatoid arthritis or other inflammatory autoimmune disease. I can’t wait to see what Kelly will do next with her advocacy and activism.” Lisa Emrich, Patient Advocate/Writer, Brass and Ivory
“It is apparent to me that Kelly is a KEY leader in a very select group of e-Patients in the U.S. that are contributing to credible, revolutionary, and fully-necessary improvement in our overall healthcare system, by virtue of patient advocacy. I rate her blog as one of the very best web resources available to patients requiring a deeper understanding of RA, if not to all patients who more generally require greater understanding of the nuances of tackling a personal health crisis in the present U.S. healthcare system. This derives from several unique properties demonstrated therein, including 1) attention to detail and depth of analysis of this particular disease, 2) boldness in speaking the truth, albeit in an unusually professional manner, regarding inadequacies of our present healthcare system, 3) routinely-concise, well-written blog posts, 4) frequent, often daily updates providing new information to her ranks of followers, 5) active participation in and leadership of the #hcsm weekly Twitter chat, as well as her own weekly Twitter chat initiative #Rheum Chat, and last but not least, 6) novelty in bringing VIDEO (“vlogs”) to e-Patient blogging. Kelly and her blog/vlogs have achieved a position of distinction in our training of budding physicians at SUNY Upstate Medical University. I continue to follow Kelly’s progress daily toward achieving greater understanding and empowerment over paramount healthcare issues, especially those related to autoimmune syndromes.” Bob West, Associate Professor, SUNY Upstate Medical University
“Kelly is an amazing warrior in the fight to discover, preserve and present true knowledge through research, discovery and firsthand experience. Her dedication to educational excellence has resulted in exceptionally gifted and creative students, whom I have met. Her diligent research and passion for honest answers within the medical community has led her to create a remarkable Internet Website providing resource material and community dialogue for individuals who suffer with Rheumatoid Arthritis, or know someone affected by this dreadful disease. I highly recommend Kelly to any organization seeking honest, diligent and determined assistance in driving to the solving of problems or leadership in the teaching of complex and/or emotionally-charged material.” Paul Cloues, NASA Quality Engineer, Millennium Engineering and Integration
“Kelly is a passionate advocate for Rheumatoid Arthritis, whose dedication is infectious. She has devoted herself completely to the cause by both raising awareness for RA and also by supporting those who live with RA through her online community. Her blog (rawarrior.com) is, what I would consider, the leading online resource for everything related to RA from facts to very personal patient accounts” Amanda Dolan, WEGO Health
“What would we do without Kelly and the network she’s built?” Jay
“I love this article, I feel like a part of me wrote this. So refreshing to hear from somebody who knows and understands. I love this Blog”
Maya
“I cannot express the respect, admiration, and at the same time, the bond I feel with you. You’ve helped me through some really tough times without even knowing it. Just knowing that such awesome rawarriors as I have gotten to know on your site have my back makes the tough times a little easier.” Ann
