I got sick of me.

I got sick of seeing myself because they would be like, ‘We need an African American patient. Who can we call? Victoria?’ I’m like, stop calling me. Because it should be more.” That’s our founder Victoria (@picturethisvic) talking at last year’s Wellness Week(end) about why she started We Are ILL, and if that doesn’t tell you everything you need to know about how this organization was built, nothing will. She talked about sitting in rooms full of pharmaceutical reps and medical directors who were all asking each other what patients need and what patients want, and she’s looking around like, “Where are the patients? Why don’t y’all just ask them?” She talked about volunteering and realizing there weren’t enough patients in the room, not enough African Americans, not enough millennials, not enough girls with braids or tattoos. She said, “I just needed to see more of me.” So she became the patient advocate who’s out here in these streets. Sitting on panels, going on talk shows, telling her story alongside healthcare professionals, and making sure the patient voice wasn’t just represented but actually heard. And then she got to the point where she realized it couldn’t just be her story. She didn’t want to be a mascot. She wanted to hear from other Black women living with MS, lupus, and NMOSD, because she doesn’t know all the things and neither does any one person. That’s when We Are ILL was born. This is the woman behind everything we do. And Wellness Week(end) is the room she built so you’d never have to wonder where the patients are, because you’re surrounded by them. Wellness Week(end) 2026 is October 30 through November 1 at the JW Marriott Atlanta Buckhead. Comment TICKET and we’ll send you the link. #WeAreILLMatic #WellnessWeekend2026 #PatientAdvocacy #BlackWomenWithMS #ChronicIllnessCommunity