Here are some ideas and we’d love to hear yours too!
WHAT TO SAY OR NOT SAY TO A CHRONICALLY ILL PERSON?
Why is it when you tell someone who is ill that they look good they are offended? Why are people with illness so sensitive? What is it they are looking for?
HOW TO REACH OUT TO SOMEONE WITH ILLNESS
What practical ways can you encourage someone with an illness?
KIDS LIVE WITH ILLNESS TOO!
Millions of children live with chronic illness. This is a great week to allows them to express any feelings they have about living with illness. Talk to people who have lived with illness as a child, children with illness, or parents of children with illness. What is it like to have a student with a chronic illness?
CHRONIC ILLNESS COMMUNITY CONNECTS ONLINE
How the Internet has changed what the typical “support group” looks like. Thousands of people with chronic illness do not only search the Internet for health information, but also as a website community they sign into daily or weekly for emotional support in living with their condition.
THOSE BLUE SPOT BLUES
Those who live with painful chronic conditions may legally have a handicapped parking permit, but what happens when they use it? All too frequently those with invisible illnesses are given skeptical looks or even told they have no business parking there by well-meaning people who think that all handicaps should be visible to use this privilege.
MY BEST FRIEND HAS JUST BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH. . .
When someone is newly diagnosed with an invisible chronic illness, what are the kinds of ways you can support her? What are some unique ways you can let her know you care will still treating her with respect?
WORKING WITH INVISIBLE ILLNESS
How much do you tell an employer or co-workers? Does illness impact your job? What’s the difference between a visible and invisible illness when it comes to one’s career? Should an ill person start his or her own business?
GOING TO COLLEGE WITH ILLNESS
What is it like to go to college with illness? What is the difference between being a 19-year-old college student who is ill versus being 40 years old? How do you plan your schedule? How do you work effectively with staff and faculty?
WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE A PARENT WITH AN INVISIBLE ILLNESS?
How can you encourage a ill mom or dad? What’s it like to be ill and have a new baby? A tween? A teen?
DO YOU LIVE WITH ILLNESS? TELL YOUR STORY
It can be helpful to call the local newspaper to find out if they would be interested in the story angle and which journalist is be the best person to direct your press release to. Be yourself and say something like… Hi, my name is ____________ and I’m interested in sending some information to a journalist at your paper about National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week. Who do you believe would be the best staff member to send something to? (likely a health editor)
You can then send that reporter the press release or you may want to speak to him/her.
Hi, My name is _________ and I’m interested in sharing with you some information about National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week in September. Would you prefer that I drop it in the mail and then call you back or would you be interested in hearing about it now?
(if they say to tell you about it…)
Well, I’m __ years old and have lived with (your illness) for (years). I’ve been involved with an organization (your support group or Rest Ministries, etc.) and it’s been very helpful to be around other people that understand how we often do not look like how we feel. National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week is a campaign to educate people about how often illness is invisible and how to be sensitive to their challenges, and also learn from their unique experiences.