Matt Cavallo, MPH - Patient Experience Speaker | Author | Podcaster
Matt Cavallo, MPH is a patient experience speaker, author, and podcaster who motivates audiences worldwide with his personal patient experience and genuine storytelling style.
At age twenty-eight, Matt was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Seemingly over night he went from a fully-functioning, healthy man to someone who was numb from the waist down and unable to walk. As a result of his diagnosis, Matt has dedicated his life to improving the patient experience.
Matt Cavallo, MPH is the founder and Chief Empathy Officer of the Patient Activation Network. He is a patient experience thought leader who has been a keynote speaker for healthcare events across the country. Matt has been named among The Top 10 Social HealthMakers by WCG and his blog was selected as one of Healthline’s Top Multiple Sclerosis Blogs. His story of being diagnosed and overcoming the physical and emotional challenges associated with having a chronic disease can be read in his memoir, The Dog Story: A Journey into a New Life with Multiple Sclerosis.
Most importantly, however, Matt is the proud father of his two sons, Mason and Colby, the loving husband to his wife, Jocelyn, and the best friend to his dog, Teddy. Originally from the Boston suburbs, Matt currently works and lives with his family in Chandler, Arizona.
Motivational Speaking and CEUs
Matt Cavallo, MPH inspires audiences of all types with his compelling personal patient experience story. From corporate events to patient-centered events, audiences relate to Matt's authenticity and his ability to be vulnerable on stage. He will make your audience laugh, cry, and in the end, inspire hope.
Inspirational Healthcare Keynotes and CEU programs:
- Why loyal patients leave providers
- How to activate a reluctant patient
- Inspire a culture of compassionate care
- Patient experience from the lens of a patient
Inspirational Keynotes for Insurance, Pharmaceutical, Non-Profits and Associations
- Finding strength in the face of adversity
- Activating your audience to be proactive in health and well-being
- Importance of insurance and financial planning before illness strikes
Inspirational Commencement Keynotes
- Medical schools
- Nursing schools
- Healthcare administration
- Other Educational Events
Want to learn more? Download Matt's service brochure by clicking the button below.
The Dog Story: A Journey Into a New Life with Multiple Sclerosis
About The Dog Story
The Dog Story is Matt's memoir that follows him from the initial onset of symptoms, through his hospitalization and eventual diagnosis. This personal diary-like story is a raw, real, and emotional look into a patient experience and what happens when a man's life is turned upside down by a devastating diagnosis.
How does the dog fit into the story? You'll have to read to find out!
Reviews from Amazon.com
Jill B. from Colorado writes, "This book is a must read for everyone. For those who have multiple sclerosis (ms) don't wait, buy this book now! Matt is very candid & paints a real & honest picture of day to day life for someone with ms and their family."
Kat writes, "It definitely is a book that will hit home if you have MS or know someone who has it. I've recommended this book to my husband and some of my family because they ask what it's like for me, and this book pretty much hits the nail on the head."
Kerri F. from Massachuttes writes, "Cavallo wasn't afraid to talk about sensitive health issues, adding depth to the book because he put himself in a vulnerable position by being so straightforward. This book would probably be great for others who have MS so they can experience someone else's struggle with adjusting to the situation and news. It would also be informative for the friends and family of people with MS to get some insight on what the condition is like."
About the Patient Activation Network
Matt is the Founder and Chief Empathy Officer of the Patient Activation Network. At the Patient Activation Network, we share stories from patients and providers to uplift the patient experience. It is our hope that these stories will educate, inspire and help others know that they are not alone in their journey.
The way we accomplish our mission is through our podcast, motivational speaking and continuing education. Our work has been featured at leading health organizations, events and universities. If you have a health experience that you would like to share on our podcast or are interested in learning more about our services, please visit the Patient Activation Network today:
Patient Activation Network Podcast
- PAN57: Spinal Muscular Atrophy with Dr. Susan Begelman
- PAN56: Bullying in Healthcare with Phyllis S. Quinlan, PhD, RN-BC
- PAN55: Share the Care with Sheila Warnock
- PAN54: Vets to BSN Program at National University with Mary Beth Prendergast
- PAN53: HIV, Needlesticks and the story of Karen Daley, PHD, MPH, RN, FAAN
- PAN52: Pushing the Limits with Dr. Shawna Pandya
- PAN51: Erin Andrews and Dr. Jessica Shepherd on Cervical Cancer Awareness Month
- PAN50: Jack Osbourne’s MS Detour
- PAN49: Vincible with Kayla Redig
- PAN48: Cancer Survivor Seeking School Board Nomination
Clients Include
Want to learn more? To download Matt's service brochure, please click the button below.
Matt’s Living Well with Chronic Illness Blog
Streamline Your Daily Activities with MS
Multiple sclerosis has been compared to an iceberg because 90 percent of the disease activity may be hiding under the surface and not visible to the naked eye. This is especially true with cognition and fatigue. If your energy levels are low or your memory becomes foggy, doing even simple daily chores and activities can […]
Utilizing Rehabilitation Professionals in Recovery of an MS Relapse
Many of you have read my previous article about how a denied insurance authorization led me to an MS relapse, rendering me nonfunctional on my right side. As it turned out, MRI studies revealed that I had two new active lesions on my brain and one on the right side of my cervical spine that […]
The Healing Power of Pets
**Originally posted by Matt Cavallo on Mango Health at http://blog.mangohealth.com/post/143011766224/the-healing-power-of-pets** I remember it like it was yesterday. It was the spring of 2005, and I was laying in my hospital bed wondering if I was ever going to walk again. A month after my hospital discharge, I was devastated to find out at the follow-up appointment […]
An Optic Neuritis Relapse
Many of you have followed my chronicles with MS for years. In honor of MS Education and Awareness Month, I wanted to share a personal story of what it is like to go through a bout of optic neuritis. This is the true story of what happened to me in February 2006. I first posted […]
Breaking the Chain of Toxic Relationships with MS
I come from a large, close-knit Italian family that lives in a small town about eighteen miles south of Boston. When I was first being diagnosed with MS, my little brother was on a downward spiral into the world of drug addiction. He is only eighteen months younger than me and as a result we […]
2016 – A Work-in-Progress
Last year at this time I wrote about how small changes can make a big difference in the New Year. Some of the advice from that post included: developing a financial plan, changing eating habits, exercising, getting back on your schedule and setting attainable goals. I used this advice to make major changes in my […]
5 Steps to Making Your New Year’s Resolutions Stick (This Year)
A resolution is a change in behavior and as you know, we are creatures of habit. And most of us don’t like change. As a person living with multiple sclerosis, my resolutions typically center around wellness or diet initiatives that I believe will help me better manage my MS. As I write this, the local […]
Finding the Strength to Fight MS for the Holidays
In September of 2010, I was faced with a devastating decision. I was experiencing severe spinal stenosis and a fractured C6 vertebra, which my doctors believed was a result of complications due to my initial onset of transverse myelitis five years earlier. My decision was to have an emergency cervical fusion to address the problem […]
Catching a Robot Catfish in Social Media Support Groups
Having a chronic illness, like multiple sclerosis, can be lonely and isolating. Sometimes it is hard to talk to your loved ones because, try as they might, they just don’t understand what you are going through. Before the internet, in order to find other people with similar circumstances, one would have to go out and […]
Remembering Olympian Jimmie Heuga and his Can Do Spirit
Some of us are born to do certain things in life. James Frederic “Jimmie” Heuga was born to ski. Jimmie began competitive skiing at age five and appeared in a Warren Miller film at age nine. In 1958, Jimmie became the youngest man ever to make the US Ski Team. In 1963, he won the […]
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Contact Matt
Would you like to book Matt for a speaking engagement? Would you like to appear on an upcoming Patient Activation Network Podcast? Please fill out the form below and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
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