Building a Supportive Community: Hidradenitis Suppurativa Awareness

The main agenda of creating awareness regarding hidradenitis suppurativa is to connect people with HS around the globe, advocate for more HS oriented research, quash myths and stigmas attached to it, share information, and educate people.  

HS is a chronic, debilitating, recurring skin inflammatory disease. It is important to talk about the subject as the consequences impose have a great impact on the quality of life. The main symptoms of HS are sore, puss-filled nodules and abscess that appears on the folding of the skin or where the skin rubs. It often takes a toll on your mental health as the stigma attached to it puts you in a dark corner, the unsightliness of the abscess shatters the self-confidence, and the scars break down your self-esteem.  

However, there are clinical trials being conducted that study the facts surrounding HS. For further exploration of the topic, you may participate in the clinical trials for hidradenitis suppurativa. Furthermore, there are many online articles and support groups providing knowledge entailing mostly everything one might need to know regarding HS. To learn further, you should not miss reading the blog till the end!  

The Awareness Week 

While the HS warriors work round the clock throughout the year to educate people on the topic and create awareness, the most influential week is the first week of June each year. The aim is to highlight the challenges faced by the people with HS. Creating a safe space where they could feel included is yet another agenda that is catered through campaigns and seminars.  

The nature of the symptoms often leads to self-isolation and anti-social behaviour in people living with HS. Therefore, the objective of awareness week is to offer a supportive space where people can share their thoughts, questions and stories in a welcoming environment. Also, the community tends to offer a huge draft of medical articles and educational blogs based on the awareness of HS.  

Ways to Raise Awareness and Educate People 

Sometimes the medical professionals misdiagnose hidradenitis suppurativa, while many a times people living with it tends to hide it as a secret. Simply because the unattractive, painful bumps shatters down the confidence and the stigma linked with it ruins the image in public. It is vital to raise awareness and understand the impact it exerts on the quality of life.  

There are multiple ways to go for while raising awareness and building supportive community groups, however, here are a few convenient options you might want to consider: 

Port of Call—Social Media; search engines and social media are the easiest resort to go for while seeking or exploring any subject. On average we tend to spend 3 hours each day on social media. Hence, it would be smart to spend time exploring educational content and sharing or retweeting it in order to raise awareness. Reliable information and medically backed facts can be shared, explored, and put out for others to learn from them. It’s an easy free way to support HS groups and work for the people with HS from the comfort of your home or office.  

Sort Queries; those who are comfortable sharing their stories and experiences revolving around HS can simply raise awareness by answering queries and debunking myths associated with it. People who are unaware or have little-to-no knowledge may find it absurd and act more curious, therefore, create a friendly space where you burst bubbles linked with this disease. If you’re willing to speak on the matter, make the most of the opportunity so that people around us learn through first0hand experiences rather than making assumptions. While you answer questions, educate and quash myths regarding HS, make sure you set healthy boundaries so that nobody can make you feel uncomfortable or pry on your personal life!  

Educational Write-up; you may set up a blog with the sole purpose of raising awareness and providing factual knowledge about hidradenitis suppurativa. It will allow you to tell story, highlight the dos and don’ts for the symptoms, manage painful sores, and help with potential treatments.  

Also, your hidradenitis suppurativa diet plan can help others living with HS and opt for basic lifestyle changes that are beneficial for them. Besides this, creating blogs and write-ups are a fun way of activism and educating public overall.  

Fundraising and Organizing Events & Seminars; if you’re somebody who’s uncomfortable in sharing experiences and still wants to help others—you certainly can! There are skin organizations raising awareness regarding eczema, psoriasis, and hidradenitis suppurativa. They are good at what they do, but sometimes the delaying factor lies in not having enough funds. You may help them in the cause through fundraising, organizing events and seminars that educate audience on the topic. Or if you’re a student you may try bake sales as it does wonders in campuses.  

Simply Speak About HS; during the HS week awareness you can simply shed light on the topic by conversing about it in general. The awareness week is the perfect time to simply talk and educate people.  

HS Ribbon; wearing a purple HS ribbon supports the cause and spread awareness. Also, these too can be a way to start conversations that revolve around the topic. Moreover, putting up flyers and related materials can add to the cause as well.  

Key Takeaways 

It’s uncommon for people to be aware of this skin-inflammatory disease, hence why such events are crucial. Spreading the right knowledge and demystifying the disease is imperative, so that the people living with it can feel comfortable and included. During HS awareness week organizations increase their activism, plan seminars for general awareness, and help reach the people suffering from it in warmer environments where they feel welcomed.  

Lastly, you may participate in the cause as well by either being active in the seminars, or community groups organizing them. Or simply being vocal for the cause, advocating more HS research, spreading factual knowledge on social media, and being cordial towards people with HS