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3/15/2021
This past week I did two major things to aid in my research for my final product. The first of which was meeting with my mentor, Dr. Shamin Masrour. During our time together, we discussed an article I had discovered by Dr. Robert Shapiro, a physician who had spoke at a prior ACT NOW, migraine support group meeting. In this article, it highlighted the structural problems the medical community will face when trying to get more funding for Migraine research. The article began with exploring the three major types of Stigma that inhibit the education about this disease: Inter-personal, Self, and Institutional. I believe that Self-Stigma is only a by-product of the other two types and only when we create a caring environment for those who face this disease, can we begin to move forward and advocate for these patients. The next thing I did this week was attend the 3rd Act Now meeting, in this meeting we really focused on the racial and societal perspectives within Migraine and how we can reach out and advocate for these lower-income families who often never receive the care for Migraines they deserve. In this meeting I was enlightened to the brutal nature of medicine and how many of our greatest discoveries in this field were a result of horrible actions. In this next week, I will begin to write rough draft for my final opinion piece about the stigma against migraines and advocate for further funding.