Meet Jessica Baladad
Founder + Chief Advocate
Jessica's experience navigating the American healthcare system during her breast cancer diagnosis revealed how difficult it can be for patients to access timely care. She's now channeling those lessons into advocacy efforts that help communities ensure their voices are represented in conversations that influence policy and the rules that govern treatment and coverage.
The Story of Feel For Your Life
Jessica was diagnosed with breast cancer after performing a self exam and discovering a lump in her breast. While undergoing chemotherapy, she realized many of her friends were not regularly performing self exams, which revealed how little awareness and guidance existed around breast health. What began as a simple social media project to encourage women to check their breasts eventually evolved into the Feel For Your Life app during COVID, and has since grown into a platform that educates women about breast health and elevates patient voices in healthcare conversations.
Work with Jessica
Jessica welcomes opportunities to collaborate with nonprofits, companies and organizations that want to educate, engage and elevate patient voices.
Equipping Advocates to Speak
Patients and advocates often feel nervous about speaking to lawmakers. Many people know the challenges they have faced but aren’t sure how to communicate them in a way that resonates. Jessica works with nonprofits and organizations to train advocates in effective communication and storytelling to help them turn their experiences into compelling messages that can be confidently shared with lawmakers, stakeholders and the public.
Driving Policy Conversations Through Media
Healthcare policy discussions often lack the perspective of the people directly affected by them. Jessica writes articles, blogs and editorials, as well as contributes to podcast and television interviews that connect patient experiences with the policies shaping healthcare. By translating these complex issues into accessible, relatable narratives, she brings greater attention and urgency to policies that impact patients and the care they receive.
Delivering the Patient Perspective
Public conversations about care and policy often benefit from hearing directly from the people living through the system. Jessica speaks at conferences, organizational events and community gatherings about the patient perspective, the mindset required to manage complex medical environments and the role informed voices play in shaping better outcomes. Drawing from her experience as both a patient and an advocate, she connects lived experience with broader conversations about personal agency, informed participation and understanding complicated institutions.
Building Health Literacy in the Workplace
For many employees, insurance coverage and medical bills can feel confusing and overwhelming. Jessica works with companies and organizations to host seminars and workshops that help people build stronger health literacy and become more confident in understanding how healthcare works. Her sessions focus on making important information easier to interpret while giving employees the knowledge to approach healthcare conversations with greater insight. These programs help organizations support a workforce that feels more informed, less stressed and better prepared to engage with the resources available to them.
Highlights of Jessica's Leadership + Impact
Editorial Influence in Local Healthcare Policy
Jessica authored a widely read editorial on Tennessee's Certificate of Need laws to advocate for expanded hospital access in her community. This led to an invitation to speak before the Tennessee Health Facilities Commission in support of two proposed hospitals serving the region. The THFC voted to approve both hospitals' Certificate of Need applications.
Advocacy on Capitol Hill
Jessica frequently travels to Washington, D.C., to meet with federal lawmakers and discuss issues including PBM reform, QALY score concerns, co-pay accumulator policies and step therapy practices, contributing to national conversations around transparency, affordability and accountability in healthcare.
Recognized Health App Innovation
Feel For Your Life was voted Best Health App by the Nashville Scene in 2023, recognizing the platform’s impact in helping women better understand breast health and early detection.
Ponce Law Hometown Hero Honoree
Jessica was recognized as a 2023 Hometown Hero by Ponce Law for her advocacy work and contributions to improving health awareness in her community.
National Breast Cancer Foundation Leadership Award
Jessica received the National Breast Cancer Foundation Leadership Award in 2023 in recognition of her advocacy efforts and commitment to supporting breast cancer patients and survivors.
Renaissance Marketing Group Mona Lisa Award
Jessica was selected as a Mona Lisa Award recipient by Renaissance Marketing Group, recognizing her creativity, leadership and impact through Feel For Your Life.
Connect + Collaborate
Organizations looking to bring a thoughtful patient perspective into their work can connect with Jessica to explore collaboration opportunities. For collaboration inquiries, please reach out to info[at]feelforyourlife[dot]com.
