In 2014, Patty was overjoyed to learn she was pregnant with twins. Throughout her pregnancy, everything appeared completely normal—until it suddenly wasn’t. One morning, Patty woke up to discover she had symptoms of a stroke. That day, at 32 weeks pregnant, her journey with Bell’s Palsy began.
Now, almost ten years later, Patty is still battling her condition. On a day-to-day basis her symptoms range from severe facial spasms, synkinesis, migraine headaches, ocular headaches (later diagnosed as occipital neuralgia) and fatigue. Patty and her doctors are constantly working to find new medications that could alleviate her symptoms and ultimately cure her condition, but they have yet to find success. There is also a significant void in research for Bell’s Palsy, which complicates treatment protocols and recovery plans for patients like Patty.
Despite her struggles, Patty uses her voice and experience to serve as a champion advocate for Voters for Cures. In 2023, Patty participated in the first ever Voters for Cures Advocate Summit in Washington, DC where she met with lawmakers to share her story and highlighted the need for policies that puts patients first.
Specifically, Patty met with lawmakers to discuss the negative effects price-setting policies will have on the R&D patients like her are counting on. She also discussed the need for lawmakers to hold insurance companies and PBMs accountable for consistently denying care and putting profits before patients.
Patty’s passion and courage to share her story exemplifies the mission of Voters for Cures, including the work she has and will continue to do to ensure patients have access to innovative treatments and cures today and in the future.