HS Connect Launches “The Healing Space”: A First-of-Its-Kind Mental Health Hub for Hidradenitis Suppurativa Patients

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HS Connect Launches “The Healing Space”: A First-of-Its-Kind Mental Health Hub for Hidradenitis Suppurativa Patients

2025-05-02 21:56 Last Updated At：22:02

PUYALLUP, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 2, 2025--

HS Connect, a leading nonprofit organization in the hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) advocacy space, proudly announces the launch of The Healing Space, a groundbreaking mental health initiative created specifically for the HS community. Sponsored by global pharmaceutical company UCB, this innovative program features a diverse library of expert-led videos, educational articles, crisis resources, and a podcast—all designed to address the often-ignored emotional and psychological toll of living with HS.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250501280146/en/

The idea for The Healing Space was sparked during a conversation between HS Connect founder Brindley Brooks and dermatologist Dr. Adam Friedman. While advocating for routine mental health check-ins with patients, the dermatologist posed a poignant question: “What do I do when they say they’re not okay? Where do I send them?” The answer didn’t exist, so HS Connect built it.

“There was a clear gap between recognizing emotional suffering and knowing how to support it,” says Brindley Brooks, Founder of HS Connect. “ The Healing Space was created to bridge that gap and to ensure no one with HS ever feels alone or invisible again.”

The program includes:

Dr. Katelyn Baker, Psy.D., Senior Program Director at HS Connect and architect of The Healing Space, shared the intent behind the initiative:

“This program is built on the principle that emotional wellness is not optional—it’s essential. HS can affect everything from how you move to how you connect with the world. This is the space where people can find tools, support, and understanding—all in one place.” Founder Brindley Brooks added, "This is only the beginning; we have big plans for this program, including a HS-specific crisis line rolling out in the near future.”

According to a 2025 review article titled Cumulative life course impairment: Evidence for hidradenitis suppurativa - Doroudian Tehrani - Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology - Wiley Online Library, individuals with HS face significantly higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation than the general population.

“We found 20 studies assessing mental health in patients with HS. Multiple studies have demonstrated that patients with HS have higher rates of depression and anxiety. These patients also reported more loneliness, social isolation, and lower self-esteem compared to the general population.”

The Healing Space directly addresses these concerns with culturally competent, identity-affirming, and trauma-informed content. HS Connect Board President and Dermatologist Dr. Adam Friedman shared the following statement regarding the release of this program:

"The impact of chronic inflammatory skin diseases on every facet of life is well established, but the recognition of said burden is nowhere near enough. Hidradenitis Suppurativa is famous for being one of the most disruptive, most painful, most disabling dermatologic diseases for which we now have more treatment options than ever before, but these options don’t address the whole picture. Addressing the psychosocial and mental wellbeing is paramount, and now we have a place for those suffering, which can extend well beyond the patient, can go. Help is here."

UCB, the program’s sponsor, is proud to support this transformative mental health initiative.

“UCB is proud to support a resource that underscores the critical need to make space for mental health – a burden we know is felt heavily by those living with hidradenitis suppurativa,” said Jeffrey Stark, MD, Head of Medical Immunology U.S. at UCB. “'Healing Space' is designed to offer a refuge for reflection and connection, emphasizing the importance of nurturing our minds alongside our bodies. This is exactly the kind of innovation that brings humanity back into healthcare.”

The Healing Space is now live and free to access at www.hsconnect.org/healingspace. It is open to anyone impacted by HS—patients, caregivers, and clinicians alike.

About HS Connect

HS Connect is a global nonprofit dedicated to transforming the lives of those affected by Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS), a chronic inflammatory skin condition. Our vision is a world where HS is free from stigma, universally understood, and effectively treated through innovation and education.

Driven by lived experience, we empower the HS community by bridging gaps between patients, healthcare professionals, and researchers. Through advocacy, support networks, and evidence-based resources, we amplify voices, dismantle shame, and advance equitable care. Our platform offers tailored tools for everyone—from those newly diagnosed to medical experts—fostering collaboration to accelerate research and improve quality of life.

Founded and led by individuals who understand HS’s emotional, physical, and mental toll, HS Connect turns personal journeys into collective strength. We are committed to normalizing HS, ensuring no one suffers in silence, and creating a future where compassion and science unite to heal.

Join us at HSConnect.org —where community fuels progress.

Thousands of nurses go on strike at several major New York City hospitals

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes.

The strike was taking place at The Mount Sinai Hospital and two of its satellite campuses, with picket lines forming. The other affected hospitals are NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.

About 15,000 nurses are involved in the strike, according to New York State Nurses Association.

“After months of bargaining, management refused to make meaningful progress on core issues that nurses have been fighting for: safe staffing for patients, healthcare benefits for nurses, and workplace violence protections,” the union said in a statement issued Monday. “Management at the richest hospitals in New York City are threatening to discontinue or radically cut nurses’ health benefits.”

The strike, which comes during a severe flu season, could potentially force the hospitals to transfer patients, cancel procedures or divert ambulances. It could also put a strain on city hospitals not involved in the contract dispute, as patients avoid the medical centers hit by the strike.

The hospitals involved have been hiring temporary nurses to try and fill the labor gap during the walkout, and said in a statement during negotiations that they would “do whatever is necessary to minimize disruptions.” Montefiore posted a message assuring patients that appointments would be kept.

“NYSNA’s leaders continue to double down on their $3.6 billion in reckless demands, including nearly 40% wage increases, and their troubling proposals like demanding that a nurse not be terminated if found to be compromised by drugs or alcohol while on the job," Montefiore spokesperson Joe Solmonese said Monday after the strike had started. "We remain resolute in our commitment to providing safe and seamless care, regardless of how long the strike may last.”

New York-Presbyterian accused the union of staging a strike to “create disruption,” but said in a statement that it has taken steps to ensure patients receive the care they need.

"We’re ready to keep negotiating a fair and reasonable contract that reflects our respect for our nurses and the critical role they play, and also recognizes the challenging realities of today’s healthcare environment,” the statement said.

The work stoppage is occurring at multiple hospitals simultaneously, but each medical center is negotiating with the union independently. Several other hospitals across the city and in its suburbs reached deals in recent days to avert a possible strike.

The nurses’ demands vary by hospital, but the major issues include staffing levels and workplace safety. The union says hospitals have given nurses unmanageable workloads.

Nurses also want better security measures in the workplace, citing incidents like a an incident last week, when a man with a sharp object barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital room and was then killed by police.

The union also wants limitations on hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence.

The nonprofit hospitals involved in the negotiations say they’ve been working to improve staffing levels, but say the union’s demands overall are too costly.

Nurses voted to authorize the strike last month.

Both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani had expressed concern about the possibility of the strike. As the strike deadline neared, Mamdani urged both sides to keep negotiating and reach a deal that “both honors our nurses and keeps our hospitals open.”

“Our nurses kept this city alive through its hardest moments. Their value is not negotiable,” Mamdani said.

State Attorney General Letitia James voiced similar support, saying "nurses put their lives on the line every day to keep New Yorkers healthy. They should never be forced to choose between their own safety, their patients’ well-being, and a fair contract.”

The last major nursing strike in the city was only three years ago, in 2023. That work stoppage, at Mount Sinai and Montefiore, was short, lasting three days. It resulted in a deal raising pay 19% over three years at those hospitals.

It also led to promised staffing improvements, though the union and hospitals now disagree about how much progress has been made, or whether the hospitals are retreating from staffing guarantees.