Hospital Patient Turns Her Medical Treatments into Glamorous Photo Shoots

Visiting the hospital or doctor’s office can be an intimidating experience. After all, the neutral tones, sterile smells, metal fixtures, and anxiety-inducing procedures aren’t exactly comforting. Artist Karolyn Gehrig became all too familiar with this sense of unease and discomfort after she began regularly visiting the hospital to treat Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a disorder that mainly affects the joints, skin, and blood vessels. However, since she does visit the hospital on a frequent basis, Gehrig didn’t want to feel uneasy during every doctor’s visit and decided to change how we view these medical environments.

To empower those who live with invisible disabilities whilst they’re at the doctor’s, Gehrig created #HospitalGlam. This hashtag represents an entire movement that encourages people to take a self-confident selfie while they’re undergoing treatment. Gehrig herself participates and ends up treating each hospital visit like a photoshoot. She wears gorgeous outfits, applies high-fashion makeup, and always makes sure to strike the perfect pose. The artist explains, “#HospitalGlam is taking the shame out of being in treatment one selfie at a time.”

If you want to participate in the #HospitalGlam movement, all you have to do is follow one rule: take a picture of yourself, not your procedure. Then, simply post the photo on Tumblr or Instagram, include #HospitalGlam, and help to eliminate the negativity surrounding hospitals and doctor’s offices.