As the holidays get underway, many of us look for ways to make someone else’s season brighter. And there’s science behind why that makes us feel so good. Research shows that acts of generosity — from gift giving to financial support — increase happiness more than spending on ourselves. At Better, we’re dedicated to simplifying […]
Anyone who has ever tried to schedule a specialist appointment, make sense of a medical bill, or advocate for a loved one in the hospital knows how challenging America’s healthcare system can be. It’s a maze of forms, follow-up calls, insurance approvals, and costs that pile up. When things get more complex, it can be […]
As the prolonged government shutdown continues, 42 million Americans who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are now at risk of losing benefits Nov. 1 — a disruption that could mark the country’s worst hunger crisis in nearly a century. “If the SNAP program shuts down,” Joel Berg, CEO of Hunger Free America, […]
The United States spends more on health care than any other developed nation, yet millions still struggle to access timely, effective treatment. One promising reform gaining traction among policymakers and researchers is integrated care, an approach that unites physical, behavioral, and social health services to treat the whole person rather than isolated symptoms. Health policy experts […]
Princess Yasmin Aga Khan’s story begins at the intersection of Hollywood glamour and royal heritage. She is the daughter of screen legend Rita Hayworth — who earned her first film contract at age 16 after being raised by professional New York City dancer parents — and Prince Aly Salomone Khan. Their marriage, and Yasmin’s birth, […]
Ashland Avenue has been extended a second time — through Oct. 19! (Updated 10/1/25) When Jenna Fischer takes the stage in Ashland Avenue at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre (Sept. 6–Oct. 19), she’s doing more than debuting a new character. The Emmy-nominated actor — beloved as Pam Beesly on The Office and co-host of the Office Ladies […]
I meet far too many children with cancer. As Program Director at the Children’s Brain Tumor Project at Weill Cornell Medicine, and co-founder of the Ty Louis Campbell (TLC) Foundation, in memory of my son, Ty, I have built my life’s work around helping them. Ty died just after his fifth birthday, which was two […]
When Connie Lissner’s husband was formally diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2020, her family’s world shifted in an instant. A retired attorney with no prior experience in caregiving, Connie quickly stepped into the role of full-time caregiver, determined to navigate the unknown path ahead. In search of support and answers, she turned to the Alzheimer’s […]
In a world fraying with loneliness and division, Mark Nepo says friendship is how we find our way back to ourselves. The beloved poet and spiritual adviser describes friendship as a “place of high safety” — a refuge where we can fall apart and still be held, a place that steadies us when everything else […]
When Courtney Williams learned she was pregnant with her second child in early 2021, she felt like her life was firmly in place. She had built a successful career at a Fortune 100 company, bought a home for herself and her son, and felt proud of the stability she had created. But pregnancy soon brought […]
