HEY EVERYBODY,
I was wondering what would you like to see in a commercial for lupus. The American Lupus Foundation has one but canada doesnt. The american one shows people with different cultural backgrounds as well as different ages saying they know someone with lupus. mothers daughters girlfriends and brothers. I wanted to know how to make the understanding of lupus in 30 seconds. So to start I wanted to ask you all. I have only had lupus since april of this year. It actually showed up in my blood and I was diagnosed in June. Understanding this disease is a full time job. we all know that much. I thought this would be the best place for brainstorming the subject. Thanks for reading. Any input would be good, including the stuff you wouldnt want to see in the commercial.
kimmy13
People who know I have it ask me to DEFINE it. They've heard of it but have no clue as to what it does, and they ask questions like, "Is it anything like MS?"
thanks guys ,
keep the ideas coming i really appreciate them. I was thinking that since most of the doctors cant even explain this one (lupus), maybe a different clearer angle might be neccesary. Immune sysem (not that that is any clearer) and how it works in lupus patients. Or the history of it like the wolf and the percentage of people that lived with it back then and now. This might give some hope for a cure. Because this disease has been around for a long long time and a lot of positive things have happened. This of course is my own research. but it may bring out the question how come we havent cured this yet. what do ya think.
kimmy 13
I explain lupus as the opposite of aids. They are only similiar in the fact that the immune systems are malfunctioning. Whereby aids has an immune system that fails to work, people with lupus have an immune system that doesn't know how to turn itself off, and then it attacts both the bad and good things in our bodies. It can't distinguish one from the other. Lupus also causes chronic inflammation throughout the body, affecting muscles, joints and respiratory factors. That's how I try to explain it to my kids. Hope this helps. Are you making a commercial?
shari,
thank you for your explanation. I was an audio video technician before I got sick in april. I loved my job, it wasnt even a job to me it was my passion. Sometimes I think maybe I was pointed in this direction for a reason. I might not be able to carry the equipment and pull 18 hour shifts anymore, but I would definitley like to make a commercial. I have made some friends in the industry and they would like to help, but I am finding that there is a lot of red tape involved in this. If I could make this happen it will take a good year to plan. Getting everything done for free is really hard to do. meaning equipment , people to do the work before during and after the commercial is done (editing). To begin I am asking people what they would like to see and then I will write a story board (colored pictures) of each shot that would be in the commercial. It needs to be informative without tooo much info, that would confuse people even more. thanks again.
kimmy 13
I don't know if you want to incorproate statistics but I recently read that Lupus causes more deaths in women each year then breast cancer and heart disease. The problem is 45% of victims are only diagnosed during autopsy. If you could verify these statistics perhaps you could show a group of lupus victims and the dialog would go something like this.
Lupus hides itself well. It's victims don't look sick. But the sad truth is that Lupus kills more women each year than breast cancer and heart disease. The problem is 45% of it's victims are only diagnosed during autopsy. Do you know someone who might have Lupus?
Then perhaps you could give the web site for your national Lupus Foundation there in Canada.
I like that. It sure would have an impact. I can already see it in my head. It would get peoples attention. How long has lupus been around. I know it has been a long, long time. Those stats are a WOW, I will check with stats canada. where did you get them.
kimmy 13
I got the figures from a book on Lupus and autoimmune diseases that I borrowed from the local Lupus support group. Unfortunately I have returned the books I borrowed, I had 5, and I only jotted down some notes on them, not the titles or authors. I know, shame on me.
I have absolutely no idea how long Lupus has been around but I know the last subset was only defined in the 1970's. I'm sure it's been around for a very long time though. There have been many illness through out history that killed people by the hundreds and thousands. Those who had such good immune systems as to fight of those diseases or even to never get them probably were good candidates to look at for Lupus like symptoms. I would think an overactive immune system could have been the reason those folks survived a disease that was fatal to so many others. Many diseases have been around for a centuries, they simply didn't have the names we know them by today. A friend of mine is fond of saying "There's really nothing new in the world. Only new varieations on what have always been. " She may well be right.
Good luck with your comercial. I have never seen the one here in the states but I don't watch much TV.
hi kimmy--
What you'd like to do is wonderful I think!! Since Lupus was mentioned to me, every friend and relative I've mentioned it to has said, "what exactly is Lupus?" And of course, how in the world would you portray that in 30 seconds or less? I don't know but I think it would be important to mention that it is incurable, elusive, difficult to diagnose, and of course mention that it can affect any/every system of the body. Also for those of us who are frustrated by the "you don't look sick remark" it may be important to elude to the fact that it is not something you can often "see" in a person. Education is power!! I think what you're doing is great, thanks for your vision!
Love,
SHawnee
THANKS FOR YOUR INSIGHT SHAWNEE, i WILL CONTINUE TO WORK OUT DIFFERENT THINGS. I WILL POST WHAT I THINK WILL WORK SO THAT YOU GUYS CAN SEE WHAT I COME UP WITH. I THINK YOU ARE RIGHT THAT ONLY SO MUCH CAN BE CONVERED IN 30 SECONDS. KEEPING IT TO A MIN. IS PROBABLY BEST. IF THE FIRST ONE WORKS OUT THEN MAYBE THERE WILL BE A SECOND. NEVER KNOW MAYBE A DOCUMENTARY WOULD BE BETTER OR LATER DOWN THE LINE. WE WILL SEE. THANKS AGAIN EVERYBODY. I WILL KEEP YOU POSTED.
KIMMY13
