Share Your Story

At the heart of our mission is elevating patients’ stories.

For too long, patient experiences have disappeared into silence. A dismissive GP brushes you off, you never go back, and they never learn to do better. A specialist finally listens and takes you seriously, but no one documents what they did differently.

Your story breaks that silence. It tells other patients they are not alone. It shows health professionals what good care looks like and what harm dismissal does. And it builds the evidence base for the reforms New Zealand needs.

Whether you want to share a little or a lot, whether you want your story published or to just share it with someone who cares, I’m grateful for you.

What happens to your story

• Your story is sent directly to Amy Waterman, the founder of Believe Pain. It is read by her alone.
• Your story is never published without your explicit consent. If you don’t consent to publication, it stays private. It is not stored on this website, and it is not shared with anyone.
• If you do consent to publication, your story is anonymised first. Names, specific health professionals, clinics, and any identifying location details are removed or generalised. New Zealand is small, and we take extra care with details that could identify you even without your name attached.
• If you give us your contact details and request it, we can show you the final, edited version of your story before it goes live so you can see exactly what will be published.
• Publishing on the website and using your story more broadly in campaign work (social media, presentations, media, advocacy materials) are two different things. We ask for your consent to each, separately. Saying yes to one does not mean yes to the other.
• Once a story is published, we cannot fully control what happens to it if others share, screenshot, or repost it elsewhere. If you ask us to remove it, we will remove it from this website, but we cannot guarantee removal from copies made by others.
• This form is intended for adults over the age of 16.

Before you start

• That the story you’re sharing is your own experience, told as accurately as you can
• Whether you consent to your anonymised story being published on this website
• Whether you separately consent to your anonymised story being used in wider campaign and advocacy work
• Whether you’d like to be credited by demographic details or kept fully anonymous
• Whether you’re open to us contacting you if we have a question about your story, or want to let you know when it’s published

Submit your story

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Step 1 — Your story type *

• I was believed: A health professional took my pain seriously, and it made a difference.
• I was dismissed: A health professional minimised, ignored, or dismissed my pain.

Step 2 — About you. What's your age?

You don’t have to share any personal details if you don’t want to.

Gender

• Female
• Male
• Non-binary
• Prefer not to say
• Other

did had make

Ethnicity

• NZ European / Pakeha
• Maori
• Pacific peoples
• Asian
• Middle Eastern
• Latin American
• African
• Prefer not to say
• Other

City

Pain condition/diagnosis

e.g. endometriosis, fibromyalgia, chronic back pain, CRPS, ME/CFS or leave blank if undiagnosed

Step 3 — Your story. What kind of health professional was this?

• GP
• Specialist/consultant
• Emergency room doctor
• Nurse / nurse practitioner
• Physiotherapist
• Pain clinic
• ACC assessor
• Other

How long had you been experiencing pain before this encounter?

• This was a new pain / acute injury
• A few weeks
• A few months
• 1-2 years
• 3-5 years
• More than 5 years
• More than 10 years

What did you say or show the health professional?

What did you tell them? Had you brought records, test results, a pain diary? What were you hoping for?

What did they say or do that made you feel believed/dismissed?

Use their actual words if you can remember them. What specifically made the difference?

What difference did being believed/dismissed make to your life?

Think beyond treatment. How did it affect how you felt about yourself, the healthcare system, your relationships?

Is there anything else you want people to know?

Anything that doesn’t fit above: what you wish had happened differently, what helped you cope, what you’d tell someone in the same situation.

Step 4 — If your story is published on the site, how would you like to appear?

• Gender, age & city (eg Woman, 44, Wellington)
• Fully anonymous (no identifying details)

Step 5 — Accuracy (Required) *

• This story reflects my genuine experience, to the best of my recollection.

Consent Part I

• I give Believe Pain permission to publish my anonymised story on the website, in the format I selected above. (Optional)

You can change your mind – send removal requests to our contact form or admin@believepain.co.nz

Consent Part II

• I give Believe Pain permission to use my anonymised story in wider campaign and advocacy work. (Optional)

Can we contact you?

• I’m open to being contacted by you if you want to follow up or let me know my story has been published. (Optional)

If you wish to be contacted, enter your phone/email below. (Optional)

Submit