A few weeks ago I was contacted by the Manchester Debt Advisory Service asking for help in reaching out to you for stories for a new campaign they are launching. I’m going to share their request today but would like to make it clear that I’m not associated with them in any way, I’m just sharing them for those who may be interested in helping them out.
Hidden Cost of Chronic Illness
The Manchester Debt Advisory Service is about to launch a campaign called the “Hidden Costs of Chronic Illness“. They want to better understand the costs and expenses associated with chronic illness so we can put together useful content for people who may be struggling financially and also suffering from ME/CFS and other chronic illnesses.
Below is the information they’ve sent through to me about their:
We’re ideally looking for people who can provide us with brief video clips (smartphone clips are absolutely fine), talking to us about the less-well-known challenges they face, especially in relation to cost. We know for example, that special dietary requirements for people with digestive disorders can be costly, as can skin care products for suffers of eczema and psoriasis.
Via the “Hidden Cost of Chronic Illness” campaign, Debt Advisory Centre aims to raise awareness and visibility of the challenges faced by those living with chronic and ‘invisible’ conditions.We’re also conducting our own research into perceptions of chronic illness, especially in relation to the work environment.
It would be a great help if we could find out the following;
- How long they’ve had their condition.
- What their specific condition is.
- How it affects them (professionally, socially, emotionally)
- What things they have to purchase in relation to their condition.
- What other financial disadvantages they face.
- Roughly how much they spend per month in relation to their condition.
- How they feel others perceive their condition (employers, friends, strangers)
We’re keen to gather as much user-generated content as possible and welcome contributions via email and video.
Once we’ve gathered the information, we’ll combine it with research we’ve conducted ourselves and research supplied by other organisations ourselves. We’ll then be distributing and sharing those findings with the media.
Participants can find out more by visiting the campaign page.
Please note, if you aren’t already aware, that Debt Advisory Centre is a fee-charging debt solutions provider and not a charity.
This is a UK based campaign but I feel that the information would be similar world wide. I also felt this request was timely, given that it is ME/CFS Awareness week this week.
If you are able (and happy) to, please check out their campaign and possibly share your story to help others understand.