Reflecting on a Community Coming Together
"No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it." – H.E. Luccock
As we continue to grow both in numbers and in knowledge, we want to recognize the impact of the Folia user community. Without all of you and your feedback, the app would not be as useful as it is today. Between the knowledge of those of us who work at the company, we only know so much about the ins and outs of a variety of chronic conditions. However, between all of our users, a whole library of knowledge exists about living with a chronic condition or caring for someone who has one.
At the end of August, we hosted our first ever Community Conversations with Folia Health. At this event, we met with community members and learned about their experience with the app. Oftentimes, it can feel monotonous to sit behind a computer screen and work on a project without knowing the impact it has on individual lives. Community Conversations was a very neat opportunity to understand just how big of an impact Folia can have, and it makes me hopeful for the future of the app. The healthcare system is incredibly confusing, can feel cold and unwelcoming, and oftentimes does not provide all that is needed. Better understanding how Folia users are now able to have an app that helps them feel more knowledgeable about their lives reinforces my belief that this app is a positive entity. Community Conversations also made it clear that our users care deeply about using Folia to improve life for the broader rare/complex/chronic community.
I have now worked at Folia for a little over a month, and before that, I was finishing up my undergraduate degree at Dartmouth College. While in school, I was on the Cross Country and Track Teams. Through these experiences, I have learned about the importance of having a community that cares deeply.
One of my longtime friends, Jude (name changed for privacy), manages chronic pain and anemia. When we were younger, we created a relationship built on the trust and camaraderie that comes from the gritty shared experiences of the running trails. The origin of our friendship stemmed from a very close knit and uplifting team, and now extends beyond the few years we were teammates. Despite, or maybe because of, his health challenges, Jude poured himself into uplifting those on our team and in our community, and is the true exemplification of a selfless friend. So much of my work at Folia is inspired by him. I see that when we lift each other up, not just within one condition community, but across conditions, we are all lifted up and empowered in new ways.
While I integrate into society as an adult, I hang on to pieces of my upbringing that I believe make me a better person and employee. One thing stands out to me from these experiences. At its foundation, leadership involves encouraging, supporting, and helping others. This is what building a community is all about, and it is the type of culture we are striving to build with our users at Folia.
To have the opportunity to bring people together, to host an event such as Community Conversations, and to be able to learn from others, reinforces my convictions that I am working for an amazing organization that truly cares about our users.
As we look to the future of Folia, we hope to make the app everything our users need, and more. We are so grateful for the time and energy our community members spend to help give us feedback, and we hope to hear from as many people as we can. While I continue to make the transition from one team to another, from Dartmouth to Folia, I am grateful for the wonderful Folia team, and the greater community.
All this being said, we are excited to announce the expansion of the Community Conversations events. Stay tuned for further announcements in the Folia app!
Happy tracking :)
Bella
