Stephanie's Story
If I have learned anything in the past few years, it is that life is about the journey, not the destination.
At age 28, I developed a life-threatening nerve disorder called CIDP (Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy), and my life came to a screeching halt. I was forced to stop working just as I was hitting my stride, and all of my energy was focused on receiving intensive treatments.
When I was diagnosed, many people gave me advice on how to hide my illness from employers, dates and even friends. In retrospect, I am not sure what made me feel worse: being ill or being told that I was no longer normal and that there was something wrong with me that I should hide. Though the nature of disease has changed, our attitudes about illness lag behind.
I firmly believe that knowledge and communication are our best tools in fighting illness. They are the most effective means of empowering and fortifying individuals, both sick and well. Instead of hiding, I researched every method of communication on the market for accessing medical records in emergency situations and easy everyday access. I realized it was difficult to instantaneously access vital health information in emergency situations. When my doctor instructed me to wear a medical ID bracelet, I was shocked at the antiquated medical jewelry offerings available.
I decided to create my own solution with WELLalarm™, a web-based service where you can securely store all of your health records and access them through an Internet, voice and mobile solution. WELLalarm™ allows the user to access and control their healthcare information, upload and fax medical records, prescription information and test results, and create alerts and appointment reminders.
I also tapped into my background in accessory design to create a modern, sophisticated line of medical charms, tags, bracelets and necklaces. WELLcharms™ and WELLtags™ let the wearer identify their allergy or illness, and the WELL-ID code on the back allows first responders to access life-saving information—such as blood type, medications and allergies—from your WELLalarm™ account in an emergency.
Now, at age 32, I am on the other side of the acute portion of my illness. I am passionate about empowering people to take control of their health and wellness, and changing the way people view chronic illness in this country. I created WELLalarm™ as both a response to those who are tired of hiding their illness and those who have yet to take the plunge. WELLalarm™ offers the opportunity to empower yourself against illness, embrace WELLness and enjoy the freedom of knowing your information is there when you need it.
To the future of living WELL,
Stephanie Cion, Founder
