Third-year MFA candidate Mahkameh Mallahzadeh, under the guidance of Dr. Liz Sanders, has advanced to the finals of the 2024 Long COVID Healthathon, hosted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), with their project titled "Storify: Elevating Lived Experiences with Long COVID."

The competition, initiated by HHS to tackle the challenge of improving the lives of those affected by Long COVID, has provoked innovative solutions through the Long COVID Healthathon. This competition encourages participants to leverage human-centered design research, existing data sets, and creativity to develop digital solutions addressing the immediate needs of Long COVID sufferers.

Mahkameh's project, in collaboration with Dr. Sanders, earned a nomination for its comprehensive approach, integrating exploratory design research with evidence-based methodologies. Their project aims to amplify the voices of Long COVID patients, caregivers, and frontline clinicians, providing a platform to articulate their lived experiences. Leveraging the HHS Health+™ model, the project is actively engaging with and learning from these communities, gathering insights to inform strategies for enhancing care and quality of life for those impacted by Long COVID.