I’m a public radio fan, having worked as the assistant general manager at New Hampshire Public Radio for five years before branching into the kids’ coverage world. And some of my very favorite public radio moments are listening to StoryCorps, a special series created by an independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share, and preserve the stories of our lives.

Colorado has adapted the concept to share health stories. Colorado HealthStory works hard to find ways for communities and individuals to put people back into conversations about health in the Centennial state. Kudos to them, as there is no better way to inform decision-making and public discourse than through storytelling and story sharing.

I discovered Colorado HealthStory through a good friend of my son, Jess Meyer, who works for the Colorado Coalition for the Medically Underserved, one of the lead organizations in Colorado’s All Kids Covered Coalition. Jess shared her memories of many summers spent at Camp Coniston (where she and my son, Jake, became friends) and the important role that camp nurses play in assuring the health and well-being of their campers.

We know that story telling is a key tool in achieving policy and coverage goals. Stories are an effective strategy to cut through political rhetoric and misinformation to show how health policy and essential public coverage programs impact real people. The Colorado HealthStory website includes lots of great information about the project and tips on getting involved. It’s a great resource that warrants replication.