Takeaways from the Invisible Kingdom

By Carmetta Joyner, Book Club Lead, FWSF Membership Committee

In October, the FWSF Book Club held a lively discussion of Invisible Kingdom by Meghan O'Rourke.

Key takeaways

• Chronic illness patients, especially women, often face years of medical gaslighting before receiving proper diagnosis and treatment.
• Healing doesn’t always mean “cure” — sometimes it means finding peace and purpose within limits.
  Autoimmune diseases are increasingly common and may be linked to environmental factors, yet Western medicine struggles to address their complexity.
• Chronic illness fundamentally transforms one's sense of self, requiring patients to grieve their former lives while building new identities.
• The medical system is structured to treat acute conditions, leaving those with chronic, mysterious illnesses in a diagnostic and therapeutic gap.
• Conditions without visible symptoms create unique social challenges, as others cannot see or validate the patient's experience. A cultural shift toward empathy and patience could transform how society views chronic illness. 

From Connections Newsletter (Past Event Highlights): November 2025

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