May/June 2007

Nan's Note

From Your No. 1 Health Advocate

It takes guts to openly express what we believe in. None of us want our passionate issues at any given time to define our entire lives and who we truly are.

I say this because I often hear others criticize the trend of celebrity role models speaking out on health conditions and issues they are passionate about.

Keep up the good work, I say. I am glad for celebrities' advocacy efforts because, frankly, so many health issues need champions. Which brings us to the people and passions we're thrilled to cover in this issue:

Serena Williams makes us think about so many things: family, loss, physical setbacks, body image, and the desire to become a parent. She reminds us to keep going but also to take a breather and regroup.

Olympia Dukakis (remember her role in the movie Moonstruck? — a classic!) discusses her Alzheimer's activism on behalf of her mother. She also tells us about her own osteoporosis diagnosis.

Josh Blue, the 28-year-old comic with cerebral palsy who beat out his competition on NBC's Last Comic Standing, makes us laugh while telling us how people think he's mentally disabled because he has a physical disability.

Their stories suggest that paths appear, disappear, and veer in unexpected directions throughout life. If we could only see the road map of what lies ahead ... (ah, but that would take all the fun out of it!).

Have a wonderful start to your summertime.

Yours in well-being,

Nan-Kirsten Forte, MS
Editor in Chief, WebMD the Magazine

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