Patient influencers often have smaller followings compared to traditional influencers. But in healthcare marketing, their value is measured not just in impressions or likes—but in trust, authenticity, and lived experience.
Their stories can be life-changing for the communities they serve.
Working with patient influencers is different and more complex than traditional influencer campaigns.
It requires special care in each phase, including outreach, relationship-building, navigating contracts/compensation, and ongoing communications. It’s also important to consider how managing a medical condition may impact work deliverables, timelines, and accessibility when traveling.
Collaborating with patient influencers can also take many shapes and forms. We can:
- Learn from them in an advisory capacity, solo or with peers
- Feature them in company content in an advocacy capacity
- Hire them to participate in, or speak at, company meetings to represent the patient voice
- Collaborate with them on creating sponsored content for their own social media channels
Despite the complexities, working with patient influencers is worth the time and financial investment. Their voices provide education, representation, and hope to patients who often feel unseen or misunderstood. They can help patient audiences learn more about chronic illness or disease and consider new treatment options, with credibility and authenticity.
Here are six patient influencers I admire that I’ve researched or worked with over the years—each with a unique voice and powerful message:
- Imani Barbarin – Cerebral Palsy
Imani is a disability rights and inclusion activist. She educates on disability laws, policies, and news through highly engaging content, especially on TikTok. - Natalie Hayden – Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Natalie’s blog, Lights Camera Crohn’s, documents her IBD journey and challenges with insurance and biosimilars. A former news reporter, she brings journalistic depth to patient storytelling. - Shane Burcaw – Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)
Shane and his wife Hannah, known as Squirmy and Grubs, use humor and vulnerability to advocate for the disability community. They’ve co-authored a book and co-produced a film on interabled relationships. - Connor DeWolfe – ADHD
Connor captures the realities of ADHD with humor and honesty on TikTok. He also appears in the film Gunner, expanding representation for neurodiverse audiences. - Jaime Michele Sanders – Chronic Migraine
Known as The Migraine Diva, Jaime has lived with intractable migraine for over 16 years. She’s a passionate patient advocate who shares unfiltered insights on life with chronic pain. - Mia Silverman – Food Allergies
As a college student, Mia shares her experience living with over 50 food allergies. Her content blends humor with education, resonating with young people managing severe allergies.
Working with patient influencers isn’t just a smart marketing strategy—it’s a chance to support, elevate, and learn from voices that often go unheard. These partnerships may require more time and nuance, but their impact is unmatched.
We’ve built systems and processes that help pharma and biotech teams collaborate with patient influencers—while aligning with regulatory standards and navigating medical-legal review as needed.
We believe in co-creating content with patient influencers, ensuring fair compensation, transparency, and long-term partnerships rooted in mutual respect. It’s not just about reach—it’s about shared purpose, patient leadership, and building relationships that evolve over time
Reach out to learn more about working with patient influencers.
