HIPAA Privacy Policy, Medical Disclaimer & Terms of Use

Last updated: June 24, 2026

Overview

The Granulomatous Mastitis Survivor Network ("we," "us," or "the Site") is an educational and peer-support community for women living with Granulomatous Mastitis (GM) and Idiopathic Granulomatous Mastitis (IGM). We are not a healthcare provider, health plan, or healthcare clearinghouse, and we do not provide medical care, diagnosis, or treatment. This policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your information, and the legal terms that apply when you use this Site.

HIPAA Status & Health Information Privacy

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) applies to "covered entities" — doctors, hospitals, insurers, and their business associates. As a patient-led education and support community, The GM Survivor Network is not a HIPAA covered entity, and information you voluntarily share with us is generally not Protected Health Information (PHI) in the HIPAA sense.

Even though HIPAA does not directly apply to us, we choose to follow HIPAA-aligned privacy practices because we know how personal breast health information is. That means:

• We collect the minimum information needed to run the community.
• We do not sell, rent, or trade your name, email, story, photos, or any health-related information to advertisers or data brokers.
• Account information is stored on reputable, encrypted cloud infrastructure with access restricted to the site owner and authorized service providers.
• Payments are processed by Stripe; we do not store your full credit card number on our servers.
• You can request a copy of, correction to, or deletion of your account information at any time by emailing dbarry0602@gmail.com.

Important: If your doctor, hospital, or insurer holds records about you, those records are governed by HIPAA through them, not through this Site. For your own HIPAA rights regarding clinical records, contact your healthcare provider directly.

Information We Collect

• Account information: name, email address, and password when you register.
• Membership & payment information: plan selected, subscription status, and billing details processed through Stripe.
• Content you share: survivor stories, comments, forum posts, messages, and any photos or health details you choose to submit.
• Technical information: basic analytics such as pages visited, device type, and approximate location, used to improve the Site.

How We Use Your Information

• To create and maintain your account and membership.
• To deliver the courses, resources, and community features you sign up for.
• To send service emails (account, billing, important community updates).
• To send educational newsletters and updates — only if you opt in. You can unsubscribe at any time.
• To prevent fraud, abuse, and violations of these Terms.

Stories, Photos & Content You Submit

When you submit a survivor story, comment, photo, or other content, you grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to display, reproduce, and share that content on this Site and in related educational materialsfor the purpose of supporting other patients. You can request removal of your content at any time by emailing dbarry0602@gmail.com.

Please do not share information you would not want to be public. Even first-name-only stories can sometimes be identified by people who know you. Share only what you are comfortable having seen by other patients, family members, employers, journalists, and search engines.

Medical Disclaimer

The content on The Granulomatous Mastitis Survivor Network is for educational and peer-support purposes only. It is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

• Destiny Barry is a GM survivor sharing her lived experience; she is not your physician and is not practicing medicine through this Site.
• Articles, stories, courses, and community posts reflect personal experience and publicly available research and may not apply to your situation.
• Always consult a qualified healthcare provider — such as a breast surgeon, OB-GYN, or your primary care physician — before starting, stopping, or changing any treatment, medication, supplement, or diet related to Granulomatous Mastitis or any other condition.
• If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.

By using this Site, you agree that the Site, its owner, contributors, and members are not liable for any decisions you make based on the information shared here. You assume full responsibility for your medical care.

No Doctor–Patient Relationship

Using this Site, joining the Healing Hub, purchasing a course, or communicating with Destiny Barry or other members does not create a doctor–patient, therapist–patient, or any other professional clinical relationship.

Physician Directory Disclaimer

Any clinicians listed in our Physician Directory are included for informational purposes only based on survivor recommendations and publicly available information. Inclusion is not an endorsement, certification, or guaranteeof any provider's qualifications, outcomes, or fit for your care. Please verify credentials, licensure, and reviews independently before booking care.

Community Conduct & Member Privacy

To keep this space safe for breast health survivors, members agree to:

• Keep what is shared in private community spaces private.
• Not screenshot, repost, or republish another member's story, photos, or personal details outside the community without written permission.
• Not give medical advice or diagnose other members.
• Not harass, threaten, or discriminate against anyone.

We reserve the right to remove content and suspend accounts that violate these rules.

Cookies & Analytics

We use essential cookies to keep you signed in and to remember your preferences. We may use privacy-respecting analytics to understand how the Site is used. We do not use third-party advertising trackers.

Children

This Site is intended for adults aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us information, please contact us so we can delete it.

Your Rights & Choices

• Access, correct, or delete your account information.
• Cancel your membership at any time from your account page.
• Opt out of marketing emails using the unsubscribe link.
• Request that a survivor story or comment you submitted be removed from the Site.

To exercise any of these rights, email dbarry0602@gmail.com.

Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, The Granulomatous Mastitis Survivor Network, Destiny Barry, and any contributors are not liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages arising out of your use of, or inability to use, this Site or any information contained on it — including, but not limited to, medical decisions, treatment outcomes, or interactions with other members or listed physicians.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Significant changes will be announced to registered members by email.

Contact

Questions about your privacy, your account, or this policy?
Email dbarry0602@gmail.com.