Women’s International Hemiplegic Migraine Group

06/16/2026

Today, June 16, is International Hemiplegic Migraine Day. 💜

Hemiplegic migraine is a rare and often misunderstood neurological condition that causes temporary weakness or paralysis on one side of the body, alongside debilitating migraine symptoms.

Today is a powerful reminder of how we can make a difference together:

🧠 Raise Awareness: Help others understand the realities of living with hemiplegic migraine.

🫶 Support Others: Practice kindness, listen, and let someone know they are not alone.

📚 Educate Yourself: Take time to learn about the unique symptoms, triggers, and treatments.

🏅 Advocate for Change: Support essential research and advocate for better, more accessible healthcare.

👥 Together We Shine: We are stronger as a community, and brighter together.

Let’s spread awareness, share hope, and lift up the voices of everyone in the WIHMG (Women's International Hemiplegic Migraine Group) community and beyond.💜

06/15/2026

https://www.instagram.com/p/DZnFoWjpC8o/

06/13/2026

I’ve started sharing more of my journey with lupus, hemiplegic migraine, and navigating life with chronic illness on Instagram. If you’d like to follow along, I’d love to have you there. ❤️

Here is another post from this morning:

I haven't dated in a very long time.

Why am I bringing this up? Because I'm lonely.

My son and I didn't end up going to lunch for his birthday because I really couldn't make it.

But he came here instead, and we spent some really nice time together. When he left, I felt so lonely.

I miss having the companionship of someone.

Let's go to the farmers market and pick out beautiful flowers. Of course, we have to go at 7 AM before the heat.

Everything is different now.

Who is going to want to date me now that I have a chronic illness?

If the shoe were on the other foot and I met someone with a chronic illness, would I be understanding of their health issues? I'd like to think so.

Let's go on vacation. Let's go to the beach.

Okay, but I can't sit in the sun during the day. I can't sit in the sun during the day. I can sit in the hotel room and look at the ocean. How about that?

How often do you get migraines?

Sometimes three or four times a week.

I remember a potential suitor stopped talking to me after that.

Oh, I'm tired.

It's 8pm.

Yes, I know. I need to rest.

Dating someone with a chronic illness isn't always easy. There may be canceled plans, low-energy days, or moments when things don't look the way you expected.
Not everyone is okay with that, and that's okay too.

I know, in the whole scheme of things, it's not the most important thing. But it kind of is.

Being alone is hard. Living alone increases the rates of depression.

Is there going to be somebody out there for me?

Maybe.

We'll see.

06/10/2026

06/05/2026

Many of us with hemiplegic migraine live with more than just migraine. Conditions like fibromyalgia, lupus, chronic pain, and other overlapping illnesses can have a huge impact on daily life.

If you're looking for a supportive space where we can connect, share experiences, and support one another through the ups and downs of chronic illness, I'd love for you to join our Instagram community.

On my chronic illness Instagram page, I share my personal journey living with hemiplegic migraine, fibromyalgia, lupus, chronic pain, and the realities of navigating life with multiple chronic conditions.

I post about the struggles, disappointments, small victories, and lessons I'm learning along the way. If this sounds like something that might resonate with you, I'd love for you to follow and join the community there.

I hope you'll follow along. ❤️

MigraineAwareness

06/03/2026

June is National Migraine & Headache Awareness Month, and we are turning our feed purple to share the facts, break the stigma, and amplify the voices of millions living with complex neurological diseases. 💜

Swipe through the slides ➡️ to see the data, understand the impact, and learn why a migraine is never "just a headache."

Living with chronic headache disorders can feel incredibly isolating—especially when navigating rare, terrifying variants like Hemiplegic Migraine, which causes temporary one-sided paralysis, speech loss, and symptoms that mimic a stroke.

That is why community and advocacy are everything. We want to shine a massive spotlight on the Women’s International Hemiplegic Migraine Group. Founded out of a need for true connection, this incredible global network supports over 7,000 women worldwide, creating a safe, compassionate, and vital space where patients are truly seen, heard, and understood. ✨

Whether you suffer from classic migraines, cluster headaches, or rare neurological variants, remember: you are not fighting this in the dark. Support enables. Advocacy empowers.

How are you showing up for the community this June? Drop a purple heart 💜 or tag an advocate who inspires you below!

InvisibleIllness

06/03/2026

June is National Migraine & Headache Awareness Month, and we are turning our feed purple to share the facts, break the stigma, and amplify the voices of millions living with complex neurological diseases. 💜

Swipe through the slides ➡️ to see the data, understand the impact, and learn why a migraine is never "just a headache."

Living with chronic headache disorders can feel incredibly isolating—especially when navigating rare, terrifying variants like Hemiplegic Migraine, which causes temporary one-sided paralysis, speech loss, and symptoms that mimic a stroke.
That is why community and advocacy are everything. We want to shine a massive spotlight on the Women’s International Hemiplegic Migraine Group. Founded out of a need for true connection, this incredible global network supports over 8,600
women worldwide, creating a safe, compassionate, and vital space where patients are truly seen, heard, and understood. ✨

Whether you suffer from classic migraines, cluster headaches, or rare neurological variants, remember: you are not fighting this in the dark. Support enables. Advocacy empowers.

How are you showing up for the community this June? Drop a purple heart 💜 or tag an advocate who inspires you below!

06/01/2026

Good morning! I decided to launch a new Instagram page, “𝑴𝒚 𝑪𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒄 𝑰𝒍𝒍𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝑱𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒍,” to support people diagnosed with chronic illness. I wanted to share with all of you my first post…

Welcome to “𝑴𝒚 𝑪𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒄 𝑰𝒍𝒍𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝑱𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒍". Some of you may already know me from my advocacy and support group for women with hemiplegic migraine. I have focused on this group for over nine years, and l am so grateful for the brave women I've met along the way.

I have been thinking that I wanted to share more of my personal journey now. I was diagnosed with lupus in December of last year, and this has radically changed my life.
I will be sharing my struggles, my joy, my hopes and dreams, medical information, and anything else I feel may be of interest to you.
I truly believe we are all here to help one another. I hope that by reading my journal, you will feel a little less alone in your own chronic illness journey.

Thank you for being here with me.
~Cheryl
chronic.illness.journey

05/30/2026

🧬 New Research in Hemiplegic Migraine 🧠

A newly published study by Riant et al. (2026) has identified SCN2A variants as being associated with both familial and sporadic Hemiplegic Migraine.

SCN2A encodes the Nav1.2 sodium channel, which plays a critical role in how nerve cells communicate. Variants in this gene may increase neuronal excitability and contribute to the development of hemiplegic migraine symptoms.

What's especially important is that many people with Hemiplegic Migraine still test negative for the currently known HM genes. Research like this expands our understanding of the genetic landscape of HM and offers hope for improved diagnosis and treatment in the future.

Every new discovery brings us one step closer. 💜

Neurology

05/28/2026

Good morning! 🌞

I’ve moved the Hemiplegic Migraine Support Group to once a month.🌻Our first group is scheduled for Sunday, June 7 at 1 pm.

This is a small, private space for women living with HM to feel supported and understood.

If you’d like to join, please sign up through the link in my bio and I’ll send you the meeting details.

We hope you can join us! 🤍