Lee Frost

I left academia ten years ago to become a digital strategist for a startup focused on advancing research for type 1 diabetes, and was inspired by how patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers worked together in the online community we hosted. At the time, I had no idea how useful those skills would become.

In 2021, I was diagnosed with fibroid tumors and endometriosis and struggled to get the surgery I needed. I’d been living with chronic pain for a long time, but it now overwhelmed my life and I was bedridden for nearly two years. A near-fatal adverse event with a common pain medication sent me to the ER several times, but because I live with complex PTSD, the symptoms were dismissed as anxiety and I was sent home to “go calm down.”

A new layer of trauma was added to my life. After writing about the experience, I was contacted by an instructor from a medical school and have been working to co-create an educational module to help future healthcare providers understand how to work with people who live with CPTSD.


My patient advocacy efforts continue to grow, and I now work for an organization that focuses on improving healthcare for all.