CARE for People with Chronic and Invisible Illnesses

CARE is unique from other advocacy organizations in that our work is grounded in functional and integrative medical perspectives. Functional medicine refers to medicine that seeks to find and resolve the underlying causes of illness. Integrative medicine refers to the use of the best approaches from Western medicine in conjunction with alternative approaches (e.g. naturopathic medicine, acupuncture, energy medicine, nutritional supplementation) and lifestyle changes to support a person’s healing.

CARE NEVER supports the belief or implies that people with chronic conditions cannot become well. We believe that there are numerous underlying causes of illness that result in similar sets of symptoms. Conversely, we also believe that similar underlying pathologies may cause different symptoms in different individuals. Therefore, we support medical approaches that address the underlying causes of illness and provide individualized health solutions based on the unique needs of each person.

CARE is also unique in that we directly confront prejudice and discrimination against people with chronic and invisible illnesses. It is important to help individuals with health conditions navigate the current medical system, employment, school, and social services. However, it is also important that the systems themselves make fundamental changes to become fair and inclusive to people suffering with chronic conditions. We directly acknowledge that the medical system, employers, educators, and social services discriminate against people with chronic invisible illnesses, and we are calling upon those institutions to change.

Our strategies are comprehensive, and include helping individuals with illness and simultaneously addressing larger cultural and environmental issues that are causing or prolonging illness. At CARE, we recognize environmental toxicity as a contributing factor in the development of chronic illness. The damage inflicted upon the Earth from pesticides, toxic chemicals, and other poisons is reflected in the rise of chronic and invisible illnesses, as our bodies must adapt to pollutants previously unknown to humankind. In addition, the increasing destruction of natural habitat and warming climate has directly led to an increase in tick-borne illness and other chronic conditions. It is our goal to demonstrate the links between environmental toxicity and destruction and chronic illness, and advocate for policies that will result in a healthier world.

We understand that cultural factors, such as loss of community, the increase of loneliness, and excessive focus on achievement over the prioritization of well-being, are also contributing to chronic illness. In particular, research demonstrates that the culture within conventional medicine is not supportive to people with chronic and invisible illnesses and is not enabling patients to act as partners in their own health care. We are bringing awareness to the role of cultural toxicities in the development and prolonging of chronic illness through our programming, and working toward healthier cultural norms as well as a healthier physical environment.

What are chronic and invisible illnesses?

CARE defines chronic and invisible illnesses as physical conditions that impact an individual’s functioning in multiple areas of life (family, social life, work, recreation, physical activity, independence, etc.) for one year or more, and that are not well-understood in Western medicine, or noticeable by others. These conditions include chronic musculoskeletal pain conditions, chronic pelvic pain, chronic fatigue, chronic migraine, effects of traumatic brain injury, Lyme disease and coinfections, parasitic infections, mold and mycotoxin related illness, long covid, autoimmune diseases, mast cell activation syndrome, chronic inflammatory response syndrome (CIRS), and chronic physical illnesses with no diagnosis.

We recognize the difficulty of any type of illness, mental or physical. However, our scope is limited to people with the conditions described above, because this group faces challenges that are unique and not currently being adequately addressed in conventional medicine or society in general.