WATCH NOW: MedX 2015 Ignite! Talk by Narcolepsy Advocate, Julie Flygare

I’m thrilled to share my 5-minute Ignite! Talk from Stanford Medicine X 2015. Please share with friends and family to raise narcolepsy awareness (https://youtu.be/MXTd8xd_f8s). In this video, I describe my journey with narcolepsy from people laughing in my face to living proudly and creating the NARCOLEPSY: NOT ALONE campaign. I emphasize how feeling “misunderstood and alone” with…

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My First Standing Ovation – Speaking at the Hypersomnia Conference 2015

Recently, I traveled to Atlanta to speak at the Hypersomnia Conference 2015. The conference featured a great variety of support groups and fantastic presentations by medical leaders, educational experts, patient advocates and a disabilities attorney. Uniquely, the conference also included hypersomnia, narcolepsy and KLS speakers and attendees, so we could share and learn from each…

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Working with Narcolepsy: Part I – I Fought the Nap and the Nap Won.

On Friday, I was so surprised to be awarded a Values In Action (VIA) award for “Excellence” at work! As I approached the stage, the presenter read the comments from my nomination: Julie is always excited to take on any new task. She approaches her work with enthusiasm, regardless of how big or small the assignment is.…

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Meet Owen, 11 Year Old Boy Living with Narcolepsy

Recently, I received a video from a mother of a young boy with narcolepsy. Warning: I cannot watch this video without crying. Brooke describes: “My 11-year-old son, Owen, was diagnosed with narcolepsy last spring. It was and is scary, and there just isn’t a lot of information out there, especially positive information! So you have…

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Visiting Australia for the Narcolepsy Support Australia Conference

“What could I say that they don’t already know?” This question haunted me in the months, weeks and days leading up to Narcolepsy Support Australia Conference. Over a year ago, when NSG Australia’s leader-extraordinaire, Melissa asked me to be a keynote speaker at their inaugural patient conference, I said “Yes!!!” right away. No question, I wouldn’t miss…

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Why I am Running a Marathon

Recently, I was featured as a Boston College “Soaring Eagle“   – for writing my memoir and founding Project Sleep. This was a huge honor, but also very ironic. While at BC Law, I felt like a total failure. Diagnosed with narcolepsy at the beginning of my second year, I scolded myself for falling behind and never securing…

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A Day In The Life… NPR Features Narcolepsy

I’m thrilled that NPR station WHYY featured my story of narcolepsy on the radio today. Listen online here: “A Day In The Life of a Narcoleptic” by Steven Jackson. When the reporter for NPR asked to follow me around for 24 hours, I said “YES!” right away. I’m always looking to raise awareness about narcolepsy.  I am…

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Patients Included: Narcolepsy Patient Voice in American Journal of Medicine

The patient’s voice is rarely included in medical journals, but luckily, I love breaking down superficial barriers between patients and medical professionals. Check out: “Narcolepsy: Let the Patient’s Voice Awaken Us”, by Julie Flygare, JD and Sairam Parthasarathy, MD, (American Journal of Medicine, January 2015). I feel so lucky to have collaborated with Dr. Parthasarathy on this project, he’s a doctor…

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