During my 20+ years as a medical writer and editor, I’ve produced
content for organizations such as the American Heart Association, the
Epilepsy Foundation, and Massachusetts General Hospital. My work has
been featured in health blogs and clinical journals, and I received a
journalism award from the International Bureau for Epilepsy.
My path to medical communication was personally meaningful, and
it still inspires the work I do today.
content for organizations such as the American Heart Association, the
Epilepsy Foundation, and Massachusetts General Hospital. My work has
been featured in health blogs and clinical journals, and I received a
journalism award from the International Bureau for Epilepsy.
My path to medical communication was personally meaningful, and
it still inspires the work I do today.
Medical writing and editing as a personal mission
Writing and editing have always been the focus of my career, but until about 20 years ago, what I wrote about was computer technology. When my young daughter developed some health issues, I became active in a national advocacy and support organization that asked me to edit website and newsletter material. A few years later, the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital invited me to work on content for the department’s patient and family resource center. I developed family-friendly material about mental health there and edited a consumer newsletter on cognitive and emotional health. Writing about health was new and immensely satisfying. I'd found my calling.
Medical communication became a full-fledged personal mission when my daughter faced new health issues as a preteen. Although her symptoms mystified clinicians at first, eventually we learned that strobe-like effects in video games were causing unseen reflex seizures (seizures provoked by sensory stimuli). She'd been playing those games every day, and it turned out her symptoms were due to the lingering aftereffects of multiple daily seizures. I read studies on visually triggered seizures and became hopeful her health would improve if she gave up video games and avoided other sources of flashing light. My daughter agreed to try this. Although stopping her favorite pastime was hard, the improvement in her health and daily functioning was stunning. I felt the need to raise awareness of the risk of seizures from flashing images, from video games, and I wanted to share what I'd learned about reducing the risk of seizures.
So I created a blog about video game seizures, wrote evidence-based articles for clinical publications, and eventually co-authored a book chapter on prevention and a review article on photosensitive epilepsy. When a committee of researchers and clinicians in the International League Against Epilepsy revised the clinical definition of epilepsy in 2014, they added reflex seizures to the existing diagnostic criteria. According to the committee's chair, my writing had influenced them to make that change. In 2021, I was invited to join the Epilepsy Foundation Photosensitive Epilepsy Task Force, where I contribute to documents that inform clinicians and patients.
Medical communication became a full-fledged personal mission when my daughter faced new health issues as a preteen. Although her symptoms mystified clinicians at first, eventually we learned that strobe-like effects in video games were causing unseen reflex seizures (seizures provoked by sensory stimuli). She'd been playing those games every day, and it turned out her symptoms were due to the lingering aftereffects of multiple daily seizures. I read studies on visually triggered seizures and became hopeful her health would improve if she gave up video games and avoided other sources of flashing light. My daughter agreed to try this. Although stopping her favorite pastime was hard, the improvement in her health and daily functioning was stunning. I felt the need to raise awareness of the risk of seizures from flashing images, from video games, and I wanted to share what I'd learned about reducing the risk of seizures.
So I created a blog about video game seizures, wrote evidence-based articles for clinical publications, and eventually co-authored a book chapter on prevention and a review article on photosensitive epilepsy. When a committee of researchers and clinicians in the International League Against Epilepsy revised the clinical definition of epilepsy in 2014, they added reflex seizures to the existing diagnostic criteria. According to the committee's chair, my writing had influenced them to make that change. In 2021, I was invited to join the Epilepsy Foundation Photosensitive Epilepsy Task Force, where I contribute to documents that inform clinicians and patients.
What I do today...
In 2018 I began freelancing as a medical writer and editor, and I cover many areas of health and medicine. I work on clinical training materials, health blogs, pre-submission manuscripts, and other pieces. Whether creating or editing copy, I'm committed to editorial excellence and client satisfaction, and I bring a strong sense of purpose to every project.
...can help you change lives
Patients, clinicians, and the public rely on the medical guidance you publish. A skilled communicator can help you advance clinical practice and improve patients' lives.
Contact me to see how I can help you.
Contact me to see how I can help you.