Greater Than Three

Greater Than Three was founded in 2018 to connect and encourage the creative expression and communication of teens and young adults living with serious medical conditions, as well as develop programs to promote self-advocacy and self-management skill development. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, over 100 million people in the United States have a chronic illness or disability, and less than six percent of those are visible illnesses. A chronic illness is long-term and generally cannot be prevented by vaccines or cured by medication. Living with chronic illnesses and disabilities can be extremely socially isolating. Hospitalization or days of poor health can keep these individuals from pivotal social moments, like prom, school, or just spending time with friends. Thanks to social media, connecting with others is easier than ever before. Not only do they allow individuals to form relationships with peers, but they also provide outlets for creative expression. Unfortunately, existing social platforms fail to meet the unique needs of chronically ill young adults.Most friends can’t relate to those long, lonely days spent in bed. They have little interest in the latest medical research articles. They’re not up to chat with in the middle of the night. Sometimes, those living each day with chronic illnesses and disabilities just need to connect with someone else who gets it. We’d like to introduce you to Greater Than Three—a safe, moderated, online social networking community to connect, engage, and empower chronically ill adolescents, aged 13-21. When you’re chronically ill, it’s easy for your social life to revolve around three things; you, your parents, and your medical team. The name Greater Than Three comes from the idea that there are other people in the world who understand what you are going through—and together, can help support you too. Together, we are more than our diagnoses. We are Greater Than Three.