Lauren Freedman is an entrepreneur, voice actor, writer and activist who lives in Los Angeles.
Originally from NYC, she’s seen her fair share of “Top Docs” and was first diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease and sleep disorders in 2017. This sparked her interest in the invisible illness community and her fellow “Spoonies”, with whom she wishes to commune and share information, inspiration, and comfort while advocating for greater awareness among friends, family, coworkers, and society at large. Lauren graduated from London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art with a BA (Hons) in Acting in 2008, and has worked extensively in fashion to pay the bills. She’s a longtime student of the School of Hard Knocks and What’s-A-Matta-U. Fall down seven times, stand up eight.
WHAT IS UNINVISIBLE?
An award-winning podcast about invisible conditions and chronic invisible illness, featuring interviews with survivors, their loved ones, advocates, and experts in varied healing modalities, from medical to holistic. Hosted by Lauren Freedman, a voice actor, writer, and activist, who lives with Hashimoto’s disease and sleep disorders, Uninvisible uncovers real stories of survival and humanity – complete with laughter. In truth and with candor, we offer solutions – and challenge the world to change. Winner, Best in Show: Podcast – WEGO Health Awards 2019.
Cecilia McGough is a mental health activist, writer, media consultant, and radio astronomer. Cecilia also happens to have schizophrenia but does not let it define her. Cecilia is the founder and executive director of the nonprofit Students With Schizophrenia and creator for the I Am Not A Monster: Schizophrenia project. As a TEDx speaker and Special Books By Special Kids interviewee, Cecilia’s videos have been viewed over 20 million times over multiple platforms across the globe. Cecilia is an UNLEASH talent who traveled to Denmark in August of 2017 to be an active voice towards attaining the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and making sure people with psychosis are represented. Cecilia has been selected as the keynote speaker for the Schizophrenia International Research Society 2020 Congress to take place in Florence, Italy. At the age of 17, Cecilia co-discovered PSR J1930-1852 leading to opportunities such as helping represent the United States in the International Space Olympics in Russia and also being a Virginia Aerospace Science And Technology Scholar through the NASA Langley Research Center. In addition, Cecilia has been protesting and giving a voice for the psychosis community in the gun violence debate since 2018 by marching alongside 200,000 people in Washington D.C. for the March For Our Lives movement.
In 2015 she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. While the diagnosis was hard the answers were a source of relief. Ann Marie uses her diagnosis to show others living with an invisible illness that you can celebrate the small stuff while living with a chronic illness.
Stupid Dumb Breast Cancer is Ann Marie Giannino-Otis’ fierce and unconventional initiative to promote awareness, early detection, and advocacy, with a special focus on how the disease impacts younger people. On behalf of her organization, Ann Marie has been featured in area publications, appeared on TV, local radio, and Huff Post Live, and hosts a series of monthly events. Since its inception in 2012, Stupid Dumb Breast Cancer has raised and contributed over $750,000 to a variety of breast cancer organizations, including Stand Up to Cancer, Duke Hospital, Wilmot Cancer Center, the Upstate Cancer Center, CancerConnects, Personal P.Ink and the Maureen’s Hope Foundation.
Ann Marie communicates regularly with a growing network of patients, their loved ones, and supporters via a variety of social media, where she candidly shares her thoughts and experiences and welcomes others to join the conversation, discover their own strengths, and discuss their journeys. The advocacy extends from breast cancer to MS and mental health.
Chantal McCulligh was diagnosed with anxiety and panic disorder at the mere age of 7 but that didn’t stop her from turning into the renowned anxiety warrior that she is today. Writer and content marketer by day, self-proclaimed anxiety master at night, Chantal began to share her journey online in hopes of ending the stigma attached to mental illness and to show others that their diagnosis does not control their destiny. Today, Chantal is the proud owner of Anxiety-Gone and the first ever subscription box service for anxiety warriors. She also enjoys yoga, meditation, the great outdoors and anything that raises her vibrations.
Alison Seponara, MS, LPC is a licensed psychotherapist in private practice located in Pennsylvania. Alison specializes in anxiety disorders with woman and special needs children while utilizing cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based techniques to provide the best quality of care. Along with her private practice, you can find Alison on Instagram @theanxietyhealer and where she posts daily anxiety healing tips and tricks while sharing her vulnerabilities related to her own anxiety, mental health struggles, & love life. Alison’s mission is to help those from around the world feel less alone in their anxiety and offer awareness and education in mental health. Alison also offers coaching services to other mental health & wellness entrepreneurs. Alison provides her expertise to help build and monetize their social media presence by helping to create an effective and compelling brand.
Michelle Hammer is an NYC native with Schizophrenia. She was featured in the WebMD documentary Voices, which was nominated for a Tribeca X Award at the Tribeca Film Festival 2018. Michelle has also been featured in Mashable, The Daily Mail, Stylist, and Buzzfeed to name a few. Michelle was diagnosed with Schizophrenia at 22, after a misdiagnosis of Bipolar at age 18. At 27, Michelle decided to use her artistic talents, and fearless personality to do something that could benefit the mental health community. In May 2015, she founded the company Schizophrenic.NYC, which is a clothing line with the mission of reducing stigma by starting conversations about mental health. Learn more about Michelle at Schizophrenic.NYC
CHALLENGE TIMELINE
July 23, 2019
Welcome, Registration and Introductions
July 24, 2019
Live Pitch Session: Presentations
July 24, 2019
Award Winner Announcement
The Winner
Lief Therapeutics
Rohan Dixit is founder and CEO of Lief Therapeutics, a mental health telemedicine company built around a breakthrough wearable device. Formerly a Harvard and Stanford neuroscientist, his work has been featured on The Today Show, CNBC, NBC, and CBS, and in The Atlantic and Forbes magazine. His primary focus for the past 13 years has been the intersection between mind-body interventions, science, and technology. As a repeat healthcare entrepreneur, Rohan has created wearable device products that monitor and augment mind-body interventions and have been used by thousands of consumers and patients.
Rohan Dixit
Founder and CEO
LYFEBULB AND UNITEDHEALTH GROUP PRESENT EMPOWERING PATIENTS: AN INNOVATION CHALLENGE IN DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY
The 2019 Lyfebulb–UnitedHealth Group Innovation Challenge will recognize the top Patient Entrepreneurs developing innovative ideas for better management of depression and anxiety using healthcare information technology, medical devices, diagnostics, consumer products, or services. Patient Entrepreneurs are individuals with a chronic disease, or those who have a close relative or loved one with a chronic disease, who have founded or lead a company bringing innovative solutions to the market place.
Lyfebulb is a chronic disease-focused, patient empowerment platform that connects patients and industry (manufacturers and payers) to support user-driven innovation. Lyfebulb promotes a healthy, take-charge lifestyle for those affected by chronic disease. Grounded with its strong foundation in diabetes, the company has expanded disease states covered into cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, and depression/anxiety.
UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) is a diversified health care company dedicated to helping people live healthier lives and helping to make the health system work better for everyone. UnitedHealth Group offers a broad spectrum of products and services through two distinct platforms: UnitedHealthcare, which provides health care coverage and benefits services; and Optum, which provides information and technology-enabled health services. For more information, visit UnitedHealth Group at unitedhealthgroup.com or follow @UnitedHealthGrp on Twitter.
Lyfebulb and UnitedHealth Group Launch Second Annual Innovation Challenge for Patient Entrepreneurs
Challenge aims to inspire patient-driven innovation in the management of depression and anxiety
Finalists will compete at UnitedHealth Group headquarters for a chance to win $25,000
MINNETONKA, Minn. and NEW YORK, May 13, 2019 /PRNewswire/ Lyfebulb LLC and UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) invite patient entrepreneurs to compete in “Empowering Patients: An Innovation Challenge,” for the second annual Lyfebulb and UnitedHealth Group Innovation Award.
This year’s challenge will recognize the top patient entrepreneurs developing innovative ideas for better management of depression and anxiety using health care information technology, medical devices, diagnostics, consumer products or services.
Eligible companies are those that are founded or led by a patient entrepreneur: someone who has been personally affected by depression or anxiety (themselves or through a loved one) and who develops a product or service to address an unmet need identified through personal experience. Companies based in the United States or Canada (excluding Quebec) are eligible to apply. The application, detailed rules and eligibility criteria can be found at click here. Applications are open until 11:59pm EST on May 31, 2019.
“Depression and anxiety are issues that particularly affect people living with chronic disease,” said Dr. Karin Hehenberger, founder and CEO of Lyfebulb. “We are honored to work with UnitedHealth Group on an issue that affects so many people in our community and nationwide. We are eager to tap into the unique insights that patients have, and leverage those to identify user-driven solutions by patient entrepreneurs for issues they face.”
A joint steering committee composed of Lyfebulb and UnitedHealth Group executives will conduct a thorough sourcing and screening process, and select 10 finalists who will be invited to the Empowering Patients event July 23-24, 2019, at UnitedHealth Group’s headquarters in Minnetonka. There, the finalists will pitch their solutions to a panel of experts (a jury) from the business, medical and patient communities. The jury will award a $25,000 prize to the company with the most innovative and impactful solution at the closing ceremony.
“Depression and anxiety weave through all areas of disease – chronic and acute – yet they are understudied and underserved in terms of dialogue and solutions today in the United States,” said Gene Baker, Ph.D., a research fellow at UnitedHealth Group. “We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with Lyfebulb and look forward to hearing from patients and entrepreneurs to learn more about the innovative, patient-driven solutions to help people living with depression and chronic disease.”
About Lyfebulb Lyfebulb is a chronic disease-focused, patient empowerment platform that connects patients and industry (manufacturers and payers) to support user-driven innovation. Lyfebulb promotes a healthy, take-charge lifestyle for those affected by chronic disease. Grounded with its strong foundation in diabetes, the company has expanded disease states covered into cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis and depression/anxiety.
About UnitedHealth Group UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) is a diversified health care company dedicated to helping people live healthier lives and helping to make the health system work better for everyone. UnitedHealth Group offers a broad spectrum of products and services through two distinct platforms: UnitedHealthcare, which provides health care coverage and benefits services; and Optum, which provides information and technology-enabled health services. For more information, visit UnitedHealth Group at unitedhealthgroup.com or follow @UnitedHealthGrp on Twitter.
Contact:
Lyfebulb Karin Hehenberger, M.D., Ph.D., CEO 917-575-0210; Karin@lyfebulb.com
