Psoriasis patients bare their “scars” in a photoshoot to spread awareness of the condition writes Meera Murugesan
THE first thing that people ask Charles Chandran when they see the patches on his skin is whether it’s contagious. Despite explaining to them over and over again that it is not, they still hesitate to even shake his hand.
Over the years, Charles, a psoriasis patient has learnt to accept and live with his condition although the stigma still exists.
With an estimated 500,000 to 800,000 Malaysians suffering from psoriasis, Charles, an entrepreneur and four others living with the condition decided to step out of the shadows and bring psoriasis into the spotlight through a photoshoot in a bid to raise awareness about the disease in conjunction with World Psoriasis Day, which is celebrated every year on Oct 29.
Done as part of the “Be Pso Positive” campaign, which is a collaboration between Novartis Corporation Malaysia, the Psoriasis Association of Malaysia and True Complexion, the photoshoot sees five patients – Rocyie Wong, Sofia Lovi Ramasamy, Patrina Tang, Aliff Azhar and Charles reveal the hidden scars that have distressed them for years and the positivity that keeps them going despite their condition.
BEING BRAVE
“Sometimes when the flare-ups are bad and it’s all over my face, people will stare at me when I’m in public. I can’t help but feel self-conscious about my appearance, and it makes me want to hide or stay at home, and not be seen,” says Aliff, lead singer of the Bear Scouts.
Psoriasis is a chronic, autoimmune disease, which affects the skin and it commonly appears as raised, red patches covered with silvery white build-up of dead skin cells and is often seen on the scalp, knees, elbows and lower back.
Globally, 125 million people suffer from psoriasis, and in Malaysia, this skin condition affects about 1 to 3 per cent of the general population.
Psoriasis is also a hereditary disease, with about 20 per cent of patients having family members who also have the disease.
“I decided to participate in this photoshoot because I felt that I had allowed my condition to bring me down in the past. I don’t want to feel ashamed of my anymore and I want to inspire other patients to be positive about their condition as well,” says Wong, who’s a campaigner, speaker and body positive activist.
A global survey conducted by Novartis entitled “Clear about Psoriasis” revealed that nearly 40 per cent of psoriasis patients also suffered from a psychological condition due to their skin disease.
“Some patients also face depression and anxiety due to their condition, so it is possible for them to be impacted physically and emotionally. Hence, we should be aware of the challenges they face and offer them our positive support. Patients should speak to their healthcare professionals and ask us what treatments are suitable for them,” says Dr Peter Ch’ng, a dermatologist.
SPEAKING UP
Sofia, who is also the secretary of the Psoriasis Association of Malaysia, has been suffering from psoriasis for 25 years.
With the photoshoot, she hopes to encourage more psoriasis patients to be positive about their lives and seek professional help.
“There are societies like the Psoriasis Association of Malaysia, which provide patient support. Furthermore, you can always speak to your doctors or dermatologists about new ways to treat your condition,” she states.
“We hope that this campaign will inspire more psoriasis patients to speak up about their condition and be positive about it. Don’t lose hope!” adds Tang, an entrepreneur and soon to be mother of three.
In addition to psoriasis patients being in front of the camera, the “Be Pso Positive” photoshoot was also shot by a psoriasis patient himself.
As a follow-up to our “Let’s Be Clear about Psoriasis” campaign earlier this year, we are pleased to continue supporting psoriasis patients and raising awareness about the challenges that they face says Patrik Grande, president and managing director for Novartis Malaysia and Brunei.
“We want them to know that hope is not lost and that there are treatments available that have shown positive results.”
To see the full gallery of the “Be Pso Positive” photoshoot, please visit Novartis Malaysia’s Facebook page. More information about psoriasis can be found on http://mypsoriasis.my/