Bridget (second from right) and her family.For 20 years, Bridget Marie Noujaim has helped others with MG navigate the complexities of doctor’s appointments, insurance claims, and daily life with the disease. As an MG Friend, she talks to patients who have questions or need one-on-one support.
“The first thing I tell people is that the calls are confidential,” she says. “The second thing is that there’s absolutely nothing they say that can shock me – I’ve probably already felt or thought it.”
Diagnosed as a college student, Bridget felt overwhelmed at first. Her doctor referred her to a volunteer nicknamed “Mr. Myasthenia,” the late Irv Beck, who served as an unofficial ambassador for newly diagnosed patients.
“When my parents started reaching out, Irv guided us about what I would need,” she shares. She was inspired by Irv and others she met in the MG Community in Connecticut, and in time began to volunteer. She finds deep meaning in the one-on-one support she provides. Each interaction is a teachable moment for her or the next person she talks to.
“There were so many people who stepped up when I was first diagnosed, and they did it before I was even ready for it,” she says.
“With how many people have helped us, we owe it to the world to help others. What are we here for if not to help other people in the ways that we have been helped? I’m always trying to pay it forward.”
Bridget continues to serve as an MG champion, leader, and, most importantly, a caring friend to everyone she meets, both in Connecticut and nationally through the MGFA.