Chronic Illness & Identity: Who Are You After a Life-Changing Diagnosis?

Chronic Illness & Identity: Who Are You After a Life-Changing Diagnosis?

Author: G-PACT non profit September 9, 2026 Duration: 45:17

Living with chronic illness can change everything; including how you see yourself, your future, and your place in the world.

In this conversation, Sam and Deanna dive into the realities of living with chronic illness and rare disease, exploring how diagnosis can reshape identity, mental health, relationships, and everyday life. They talk about the ongoing process of understanding an illness, adapting to a life you didn't necessarily choose, and finding strength in the uncertainty.

They also discuss the importance of community, patient advocacy, resilience, and sharing your story; and how connecting with others who truly understand can make chronic illness feel a little less isolating.

If you're living with chronic illness or rare disease, we hope this conversation reminds you that your experience matters, and that there is power in finding people who understand.

Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this video to help connect more patients, caregivers, and advocates with the chronic illness community.

Want to connect with Deanna?

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Deanna Steinle | LinkedIn

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Hosted by two people navigating life with gastroparesis, Surviving out of Spite is a raw and real conversation from the G-PACT non-profit. This isn't a clinical lecture; it's the sound of two friends unpacking the daily reality of a chronic condition, finding humor in the absurd moments and solidarity in the shared struggles. You'll hear candid personal stories that range from frustrating to triumphant, alongside practical tips forged from lived experience. The dialogue covers everything from managing health and relationships to simply preserving your identity beyond a diagnosis. Tuning into this podcast feels like pulling up a chair to a kitchen table conversation where no topic is off-limits and laughter is considered essential medicine. It builds a community through audio, reminding anyone facing a similar journey that they are understood. Each episode explores the complex patient experience with honesty, aiming to inform, connect, and affirm that navigating life with gastroparesis is a story of resilience, often fueled by a bit of defiant spirit.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

Surviving out of Spite
Podcast Episodes
Episode 29: Hope in a Broken Digestive System [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:07
Gastroparesis isn’t just about digestion — it’s about identity, grief, resilience, and learning how to fight for yourself. In this episode, Sam and Dr. Eva Alsheik unpack the science behind gastroparesis, the mental heal…
Episode 28: When Voices Become a Movement [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:10
In this final episode of the year, Sam pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to grow a chronic illness community. From the early days of G-PACT to the powerful network it’s become today, she reflects on the wins…
Episode 27: The Missing Piece in GI Treatment [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:16
In this week's episode, Megan Riehl joins the show to break down the brain–gut connection and why it’s a physiological process, not a dismissal. We explore how stress and nervous system dysregulation directly affect GI f…
Episode 26: When Fitness isn't Built for Us [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:31
In this episode, Sam sits down with Kate Bochnewetch, a physical therapist and running/strength coach, for a conversation about living, moving and thriving with chronic illness. Drawing from her own journey with hEDS syn…
Episode 25: Empowering Patients through Nutrition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:23
In this episode, we’re joined by Jennifer Akimoto. She’s a registered dietitian with 20 years of clinical nutrition experience, and today, we are talking about the world of blended tube feeding. Inspired by a patient’s d…