What happens when a patient spends more than three decades searching for answers?

In the premiere episode of Healing By Design, hosts Jennifer Bierhup and Therese Laub sit down with patient advocate Amy Rivera to discuss her extraordinary journey living with primary lymphedema. After 32 years of misdiagnoses, unanswered questions, and navigating a fragmented healthcare system, Amy finally received the diagnosis that changed everything.

Amy shares the realities of living with a chronic condition, the emotional toll of not being believed, and how her personal experience led her to become a nationally recognized advocate for individuals living with lymphedema and other chronic conditions.

Together, they explore the importance of patient voice, self-advocacy, care coordination, and why healthcare outcomes often depend on what happens between providers, care settings, and transitions throughout the continuum of care.

This conversation is a powerful reminder that healing is about more than treatment. It is about understanding, collaboration, and ensuring that no patient falls through the cracks.

In this episode:

• Amy's 32-year journey to diagnosis
• Living with primary lymphedema
• The impact of delayed and missed diagnoses
• Patient advocacy and empowerment
• Navigating complex healthcare systems
• The importance of care coordination and communication
• Finding purpose through lived experience

Healing By Design is a podcast powered by PAWSIC that explores the people, processes, and perspectives shaping better outcomes across the continuum of care.