A platform for the stories rarely told
Chronic Life Media is a Chicago storytelling studio. We make films, publish real stories, and help organizations build strong communities around life with chronic illness.
Why we exist
Most media coverage of chronic illness misses the full picture. It focuses on the diagnosis and skips the person. We started Chronic Life Media to change that.
We tell stories that show people as they are: smart, funny, tired, determined, and much more than a chart. Those stories build understanding. They also bring people together. Over time, we saw that the organizations serving these communities need more than good stories. They need help building the communities themselves. So today we do both.
What we believe
- People are more than their diagnoses.
- The people living it should shape the story.
- Strong communities change more than any single campaign.
- Good stories can push for real change.
Joe Keenan, Founder
Joe has spent more than 20 years helping nonprofits and health groups reach people, build community, and raise money. He has led digital and marketing teams at Partnership to End Addiction, Thomson/Reuters, and Wiley. At Patients Rising, he built online communities where patient advocates could connect and speak up.
Joe serves on the board of G-PACT, the Gastroparesis Patient Association for Cures and Treatments, writes, and consults for business and nonprofits.
Connect on LinkedInOur film team
Lauren Keenan
Director and Producer
Austin Kite
Cinematographer
Alex Knapp
Production Partners
Ben Nimkin
Sound
Collin Davis
Editor
Joe Keenan
Executive Producer
Community
Jim Sliney Jr.
Patient Engagement
Ready to work together?
Let's build something that moves people and brings them together.