Inspire and PatientPartner Announce Partnership to Expand Patient Mentorship and Community Support

This partnership creates new opportunities for patients to share their stories, support others, and connect with peers navigating similar health conditions.

Arlington, VA, Oct. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Inspire, the world's largest online community for patients and caregivers, today announced a new partnership with PatientPartner, a peer mentorship platform that connects patients with individuals who have firsthand experience navigating similar health conditions, treatments, and clinical trials. The collaboration will expand opportunities for patients to share their lived experiences, mentor others, and find meaningful connections throughout their health journeys.

At the heart of the partnership is a shared belief in the power of connecting with someone who has been through a similar journey. For more than two decades, Inspire has brought together patients and caregivers navigating a wide range of health conditions, offering a space to ask questions, exchange experiences, and support one another. PatientPartner brings a complementary approach through personalized, one-on-one mentorship programs that connect patients with experienced peers who can offer practical perspectives and encouragement as they navigate treatment decisions, and clinical research.

The partnership will create new ways for patients and caregivers to embrace the power of peer support, both by sharing their own stories and connecting with others who understand their health journeys. Inspire members will have the opportunity to turn their firsthand perspectives into meaningful support for others through PatientPartner's mentorship programs, helping individuals navigate important healthcare decisions with greater confidence. At the same time, PatientPartner mentors and mentees will gain access to Inspire's condition-specific communities, where they can build relationships, find additional resources, exchange experiences, and find support from others navigating similar challenges. Together, the organizations aim to make it easier for patients to find connection, contribute to a supportive community, and make a difference in the lives of others.

"At Inspire, we've seen firsthand how meaningful it can be when people share their experiences to help someone else navigate a similar challenge," said Jillian Tygh, CGO. "Our partnership with PatientPartner builds on that shared belief in the value of peer connection. We're excited to give our members new ways to make a difference for others, while welcoming PatientPartner's mentors into communities where they can continue building connections and finding support of their own."

PatientPartner's mentorship programs provide opportunities for individuals who have navigated specific treatments, therapies, or clinical trials to share their experiences with others considering similar paths. Through private, one-on-one conversations, mentors can offer perspectives on what to expect, answer questions based on their own experiences, and provide encouragement, emotional and practical support as individuals make decisions and navigate their care.

Inspire's condition-specific communities complement these personalized mentorship experiences by offering an ongoing space for connection across the broader health journey. Within these communities, members can discuss everything from diagnosis and treatment journeys to everyday challenges, milestones, and life with a health condition. By bringing these two approaches together, the partnership creates more opportunities for patients to both give and receive support in ways that are meaningful to them.

“At critical moments in a treatment journey, credible one-on-one guidance from someone who has been there before can help patients make more informed, confident decisions. By partnering with Inspire, we can combine personalized mentorship with trusted, condition-specific communities, giving more people meaningful support, practical perspective, and a stronger sense that they are not navigating their health journey alone,” said George Kramb, CEO.

Together, Inspire and PatientPartner aim to make peer connection more accessible across different stages of the health journey, empowering more individuals to share what they've learned, support others facing similar challenges, and find community along the way.

About Inspire

Founded in 2005, Inspire is the world's largest online community for patients and caregivers. More than 14 million people visit Inspire annually to find condition-specific support, share experiences, and access education across more than 3,000 health conditions. Every post is moderated to maintain a safe and welcoming environment. Inspire partners with nonprofit organizations, health companies, and research teams to ensure patient voices are heard and supported.

Learn more at www.inspire.com.

About PatientPartner

PatientPartner is a patient connectivity platform that helps pharmaceutical companies improve patient engagement across both commercial and clinical trial programs. The technology matches patients or caregivers (mentees) navigating a specific condition, treatment, or clinical study with experienced patients or caregivers (mentors) who have been through a similar journey, providing trusted, firsthand support. Through personalized, one-to-one conversations, patients can ask questions, hear real-world experiences, and build confidence throughout their journey, helping improve recruitment, enrollment, treatment initiation, retention, adherence, and the overall patient experience.

Learn more at www.patientpartner.com.

Jillian Tygh
Inspire
267-254-3997
jillian.tygh@inspire.com