“My pain is real, but no one can tell me why.”
I keep the search going -- finding other options for you to explore, and making sure "complex" never becomes a reason to write you off.
Whole Story AdvocacyRebecca Share Howard BCPA
Independent Patient Advocate for chronic pain & complex illness
You deserve to be heard
I help people living with diagnosed, undiagnosed, and complex chronic pain — and the families who love them — navigate the complexities of the healthcare system by organizing the whole story and helping you make informed decisions with confidence.
- Board Certified Patient Advocate (BCPA)
- Independent — no hospital or insurer ties
- Greater Los Angeles · virtual nationwide
“My philosophy is simple and hard-earned: start with belief”
Board-certified, independent, and bound by the profession's rigorous standards and code of ethics
Who I Help
If this sounds familiar, you're in the right place
“Three specialists, three different answers.”
I connect the dots across providers — medications, tests, and plans — so decisions get made from your whole story, not one narrow lane of focus.
“My doctor doesn't listen — appointments feel rushed.”
I prepare you for visits, attend with you in person or by phone, and make sure your concerns actually land.
“I just got a diagnosis and I don't know what to do next.”
I research your condition, provide education in accessible language, organize your questions, and build a clear plan for the road ahead.
“I'm caring for a parent and drowning in logistics.”
I coordinate providers, records, medications, and family communication so nothing falls through the cracks.
“The records, referrals, and paperwork are a full-time job.”
I organize the records, keep track of the appointments, and keep one clear picture of your care — so you can put your energy back into living.
Role Clarity
What I do — and what I don't
You stay the decision-maker at every step. My job is to make sure every decision you face is an informed one.
What I do
- Listen to your whole story — and believe it
- Research conditions, treatments, and options in plain language
- Prepare questions and agendas before appointments, and attend them with you
- Coordinate records, referrals, and medications across providers
- Create a concise health summary providers can quickly understand
- Prepare for surgery, hospital stays, and safe discharge
- Follow through until tasks are actually done
What I don't do
- Diagnose, treat, or prescribe — I'm an advocate, not your clinician
- Give medical, legal, or financial advice
- Make decisions for you — you keep the final say, always
- Accept referral fees from providers, facilities, or vendors
- Promise specific medical or financial outcomes
- Replace emergency services — in an emergency, call 911
Services
Ways I take the weight off
Every engagement is scoped to your situation — these are the shapes it usually takes.
Diagnosis & treatment navigation
You understand your diagnosis, your options, and your next steps — in plain language, with the research already done.
Learn more about diagnosis & treatment navigationAppointment preparation & accompaniment
We work together to prepare your story and questions so that you get the most out of your visits. You leave every visit actually hear, with clear notes, and a follow-up list that actually gets done.
Learn more about appointment preparation & accompanimentSurgery & hospital navigation and support
One person keeps the full picture straight, looks out for you, increases your safety, and helps you move through high-stakes transitions with a clear plan.
Learn more about surgery & hospital navigation and supportCare coordination
Clear, consistent communication keeps your case from being fragmented across visits. I organize specialists, labs, and follow-ups so you can spend less energy managing the system and more time where it matters.
Medical story and records review
You have one coherent, trustworthy medical story instead of scattered files. Important gaps, corrections, and questions are easier to raise with the care team.
How It Works
Three steps to being heard
Free consultation
A 20-minute call. You tell me your story; I tell you honestly how I can help. If that person isn't me, I refer you to someone who can.
A clear plan
We do an in-depth assessment and then define goals and scope together — a written plan with priorities, timeline, and transparent pricing.
I get to work
Review, research, call, appointments, follow-ups, and support. You get regular updates and stay in control of every decision.
About
Rebecca Share-Howard
Independent, board-certified patient advocate
My journey began when I was 10 years old and diagnosed with chronic pain, which, over the years advanced and created or amplified many other health problems. I have never fit neatly into one easily diagnosable "box", and I am on a continual journey of learning about my pain. Things changed again when I had my first spinal surgery at age 18, after which I developed severe, restricting chronic back pain that I live with to this day. As I aged I faced more surgeries, accumulated more health problems, including more types of chronic pain, tried more treatments, and saw more specialists, I began to experience the same problems again and again: gaps in care through which those with chronic pain or complex illness too often fell, how frequently my voice and so many others' weren't being heard, medical fragmentation that affected my care, and medical mistakes. I knew for certain that I had to do something with what I had learned through my own experiences with pain in so many forms.
After studying Public Health and Disability studies at UC Berkeley, I spent two years gaining clinical experience, including everyday hands-on patient care. After years of work, I started Whole Story Advocacy to put that lived experience — alongside formal training and hands-on clinical work — to dedicate myself to the people I understand the best: people with chronic pain and complex illness — the people who fall through the cracks.
Every client gets what every patient deserves: someone who knows the system, has the time to listen, and answers only to you. I'm the person that is always in your corner in a system that's difficult to face alone. I work independently — I'm not employed by any hospital, insurer, or provider. My only interest is yours.
- Board Certified Patient Advocate (BCPA)
- UC Berkeley B.A. in Public Health & minor in Disability Studies
- Two years of hands-on clinical patient care coordination
- Lived experience with chronic pain and complex illness
Embarking on another advocacy journey
Rebecca is just beggining to step into another wider world of advocacy. She will always continue to fight for one person at a time, but she is also committed affecting systemic change. She is finding opportunities to sit at a second kind of table — where study designs get shaped and healthcare policy gets written.
“I know undiagnosed doesn't mean untrue and complex doesn't mean unsolvable”— Rebecca Share-Howard, BCPA
FAQ
Common questions
What exactly does a patient advocate do?
I provide clients with objective guidance and representation throughout their healthcare journeys by coordinating care and helping to navigate the medical system. I provide many different services tailored to your specific health situation, your needs, and your goals. My role is to facilitate, ease, and improve your healthcare journey, and ultimately, to improve your quality of life.
Are you a doctor or lawyer? Do you give medical advice?
No. I don't diagnose, treat, or give medical or legal advice. I help you understand your options, ask the right questions, and get the most out of the licensed professionals on your team.
How much does it cost?
The first 20-minute consultation is free. After that, work is billed hourly or as a flat-fee package depending on scope — you'll get transparent pricing in writing before anything begins. Details are on the fees page.
Let's start with your story
A free, no-obligation 20-minute call
Tell me what's going on — I'll tell you honestly whether and how I can help. No pressure and nothing shared without your permission.
Email: rebecca@wholestoryadvocacy.comCall: (213) 348-5103Fax: (213) 631-4121Greater Los Angeles · virtual nationwide