Sick with ME/CFS Rich Carson started Prohealth out of his laundry room in 1988 in order to bring lower cost supplements to patients. Prohealth has always been more than a business, though.
I found that out when I worked with Rich on his Campaign for a Fair Name to replace chronic fatigue syndrome with ME/CFS. Scratch the surface of this ME/CFS ‘businessman’ just a little bit and you get a fierce advocate who can and will talk for hours about what to do about this disorder.
The secret is that the man behind Prohealth struggles with ME/CFS just as well. He works very hard at his health – harder at it than anyone he knows – which is why he’s as healthy as he is right now, but a stab at a treatment a couple of years ago left him disabled for about a year. He’s built a great company, and he lives the limitations of ME/CFS every day. (It makes me wonder what he would do if he was really healthy :))
I think of Rich as yet another person so profoundly affected by ME/CFS/FM that he decided that if he could, he would work in this field, and help out and he has. Rich is passionate about his supplements. Prohealth gives 10% of their profits to support ME/CFS; almost $4 million dollars over the past 25 years. They’ve got thousands of articles on their website. Their Medical Advisory Board consists of Dr. Peterson, Dr. Lapp, Dr. De Meirleir and Dr. Kogelnik. This company drenched in ME/CFS and FM like no other.
And they produce good products.
Now Prohealth has chosen Health Rising to kick off their Making a Difference campaign. They’re going to devote 10% of their profits from sales done through this link to Health Rising (and they’re guaranteeing a minimum of $1,000).
If supplements support your fight with ME/CFS or FM check out Prohealth and their vast array of immune supporting, detoxifying, digestion supporting, pain reducing, etc. supplements. (I like thinking that a portion of every purchase I make gets recycled back into the community.)
If you don’t know Prohealth, I urge you to get acquainted with them; check out their website, sign up for their newsletters, check out their their awesome Facebook page and their Forums, and, if you use supplements, by all means give them a shot.
Cort, would Rich mind telling us what the treatment was that disabled him for a year? That’s pretty shocking. Great what he’s doing for Health Rising.
I believe it was an immune related treatment. It will come to me at some point. I think it was interferon, yes, I’m pretty sure it was interferon – a pretty heavy duty drug.
I’ve always thought he looks so healthy in that photo, but I guess like all of us with these conditions he has his ups and downs, sometimes feels / looks better than others.
Where do the donation funds go? Can we know how they are directed to research or advocacy?
Yes, Rich looks very healthy, which is why I mentioned his issues. His health, if he doesn’t mind me saying, has ranged up and down greatly. At one point when he hit a low point he basically disappeared.
The donation funds go to Health Rising to work on our projects, among them Community Rising and the Physician Review projects.
Thanks to Rich Carson for his generosity to Health Rising. I’ve always been pleased with the quality of the supplements from Prohealth. From ordering to delivery, the process is easy and timely. Also, one can’t fine a more knowledgable and courteous customer service department.
That’s great to hear. Thanks Polly 🙂
I hope you don’t mind that I’m bookmarking this blog.
Really can’t wait to call back!
Collaborations like this build community. GOOD!