The Global Healthy Living Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit advocacy organization, based in New York, with the mission to improve the quality of life for people with chronic illness. The GHLF accomplishes its mission by advocating for improved access to care and by educating the community about the importance of diagnosis, early and innovative medical intervention, long-term lifestyle improvement, and therapeutic compliance.

Co-founded in 1999 by arthritis patient and advocate Seth Ginsberg (diagnosed with Spondyloarthropathy at age 13), the GHLF includes disease-specific communities, the most visible being CreakyJoints (CreakyJoints.org), a network of 44,000 arthritis patients and caregivers in all 50 states. Other disease states include osteoporosis (CreakyBones.org), psoriasis (RedPatch.org), diabetes, pulmonary disorders, cardiovascular and central nervous system conditions, including chronic pain and mental illness.

Education and mobilization occurs through partnerships with provider networks, national and state-level professional societies, and GHLF's disease-specific Nurturing Collaborative Advocacy (NCA) roundtables. Through this hybrid grassroots channel, GHLF efficiently communicates to the chronic illness communities by involving their providers, caregivers, elected officials, and civic and community groups. In this manner, the GHLF is able to leverage the reach and impact of healthy living messages and ways to effectively overcome barriers to care.

Innovative communication with patients, caregivers, healthcare providers and other stakeholders include social media and mobile media – leveraging new technology to address old paradigm healthcare problems.

 

Our patient and caregiver programs help people learn how to achieve the following:

• Create a life-long fitness/exercise program with which they can live
• Devise a diet that keeps them healthy
• Create and sustain a productive relationship with a healthcare provider
• Understand treatment options
• Determine which drugs are best for a particular individual
• Learn ways to improve mental attitude

Our healthcare provider programs, like our patient and caregiver programs, are in-person events. Healthcare providers learn:

• How to help patients take responsibility for their disease
• How to stay current with patients' conditions through efficient communication -- which does not always involve an office visit
• How to create a productive atmosphere that encourages wellness

 

Saving Medicaid in NY

GHLF advocates against proposed NYS budget cuts that will affect Medicaid patients.

To read an op-ed by GHLF President Seth Ginsberg on FailFirstHurts.org, click here.

To view Seth's interview on NBC4 on the GHLF.org homepage, click here.

 

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FailFirstHurts.org Travels to Texas

Fail First Hurts Executive Director Louis Tharp and Seth Ginsberg (pictured) visited lawmakers in Austin, Texas.

The team discussed with lawmakers upcoming Medicaid legislation and its potential negative effects on patients in the Lone Star State.

Reaction was positive, though it reinforced the belief at FailFirstHurts.org and the GHLF that a strong campaign is needed to educate legislators on how step therapy works and why it is debilitating for patients.

If you would like to support this important activity, or if you would like to recommend a supporter, click here to join our team.

Click here to see a full list of organizations supporting the elimination of Fail First policies across the nation.

 

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Belimumab – Lupus Treatment

GHLF’s public comments at the FDA’s Arthritis Advisory Committee Hearing on belimumab (for the treatment of Lupus).

To watch video of Seth's statement at the FDA hearing, click here.
To read our public statement at the hearing, click here.
To read press coverage of the committee hearing, click here.
To download the audio file from the FDA hearing, click here.

Biosimilars

GHLF weighs in on biosimilars at the FDA public hearing about “approval pathways for biosimilars and interchangeable biological products.”

To read coverage of the FDA meeting in THE HILL's Healthwatch blog, click here.

To download the audio file from the FDA hearing, click here.
To read our public statement at the hearing, click here.
To read the press release, click here.