Objective

Living with a severe autoimmune condition like myasthenia gravis (MG) or chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) often feels isolating, with patients and caregivers struggling to navigate a complex healthcare system and find meaningful support. Argenx, a global pharmaceutical company, is committed to changing that reality.

With Untold Stories: Life with a Severe Autoimmune Condition, our goal was to foster connection, education, and hope. We set out to create a podcast that would serve as a trusted resource for this community, with success defined by tangible measures:

• Building an engaged listener base
• Sparking meaningful discussions within support groups
• Gaining recognition for its impact in both the branded content and pharmaceutical spaces

Through personal storytelling, practical resources, and empowering conversations, the podcast aims to provide understanding and renewed hope for patients and caregivers navigating the complexities of these diagnoses.

Strategy

To bring Untold Stories to life, we partnered with global organizations–like MG United and Shining Through CIDP–dedicated to MG and CIDP awareness and support. This collaboration allowed us to identify diverse voices from within the community. Each episode centers on an individual’s journey—from first symptoms to diagnosis, treatment, and the daily realities of life with an autoimmune condition.

We ensured every story shared a universal thread of hope while addressing unique challenges. Themes of resilience, connection, and education were interwoven throughout the series, amplifying key takeaways like mantras, habits, or resources that helped our guests navigate their journeys.

To foster a sense of authenticity, we selected Martine Hackett as our host. Martine is an associate professor in the master of public health and community health programs at Hofstra University. Her expertise in this field enabled her to relate to guests while guiding empathetic, solution-focused conversations. Caregivers also joined the dialogue, providing a fuller picture of the impact these conditions have on families and loved ones.

From conception to execution, our team faced challenges such as ensuring cultural sensitivity and diversifying representation. These were addressed through rigorous planning, collaboration with advocacy groups, and an iterative feedback process. Finally, strategic promotion—including social media campaigns, newsletter features, and partnerships with community organizations—helped the podcast reach a broader audience while remaining deeply connected to its niche demographic.

Results

Untold Stories: Life with a Severe Autoimmune Condition delivered on its mission to foster connection, education, and hope within the MG and CIDP communities, exceeding expectations across multiple benchmarks:

1. Fostering Connection:
   The podcast has become a central resource for community support, with episodes frequently used as discussion starters in support groups. Listeners have shared that the podcast helps them open up about their own experiences, fostering a sense of belonging. Additionally, caregivers report using episodes to better understand their loved ones’ conditions, strengthening bonds and creating more empathetic conversations.
2. Providing Education:
   Through more than 350,000 downloads and a 70% episode consumption rate, the podcast has demonstrated its ability to educate and engage a highly targeted audience. Guests' stories provide practical tools, resources, and insights that empower listeners to navigate their conditions more effectively. This has also led to growing interest from community organizations eager to share episodes with their networks and recommend future guests.
3. Inspiring Hope:
   By focusing on narratives of resilience and actionable takeaways, the podcast has instilled hope in listeners. Testimonials from patients and caregivers highlight how these stories have offered new ways to cope, heal, and thrive. The podcast’s impact has been recognized beyond the community, winning awards like the Bronze Signal Award for its storytelling and social impact.

Above all, the podcast has become more than a series of episodes—it is a lifeline for individuals navigating the challenges of severe autoimmune conditions. It continues to grow as a trusted, hopeful, and impactful resource for this underserved community.

Media