16
June
2016
|
08:30
Europe/London
Comedy gig kicks off a psoriasis awareness week that’s no laughing matter
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A high profile comedy night in Manchester will use humour to raise awareness of a serious subject as it kicks off the biggest ever Psoriasis Shout Out® – a week of events (18-24 June) organised by The University of Manchester.
Psoriasis affects almost two million people in the UK. In Manchester that’s around 75,000 – enough to fill Old Trafford football stadium. It is non-contagious and is unique to each patient – there are many different forms of psoriasis and the amount of skin involved can range from tiny patches to extensive body coverage.
However it is more than a simple skin condition; it has a significant impact on a patient’s quality of life. Despite being such a common skin condition, it is poorly understood by the general public and, often, by people who have it.
The University of Manchester’s Psoriasis Shout Out initiative organises informative, educational and fun events for people living with the condition, which this year will take place not only in Manchester but also Dublin, London and Newcastle.
Events this year include the comedy night at Manchester’s XS Malarkey (19 June) hosted by the actor, comedian and patient advocate Toby Hadoke in aid of the UK Psoriasis Association, and a Look Good, Feel Good event at Manchester’s Central Library (18 June).
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Psoriasis can be life ruining. We aim to get people talking about psoriasis (what it is and what it isn’t) and to bring patients together with professionals working in the field of psoriasis management and research to discuss current research and treatment
Professor Chris Griffiths
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Professor Chris Griffiths, a world-leading psoriasis expert from The University of Manchester and Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust who leads Psoriasis Shout Out, said: “Psoriasis can be life ruining. We aim to get people talking about psoriasis (what it is and what it isn’t) and to bring patients together with professionals working in the field of psoriasis management and research to discuss current research and treatment.”
As well as the events in Manchester, The Psoriasis Shout Out will also be hitting the road. Experts and patients will be on a fully-equipped health care trailer which will visit Bury and Dublin. On board will be the ‘Flaky Fashionista’ – blogger Helen Hanrahan to give advice on looking and feeling your best.
In Salford, there will be an event for GPs – helping them to deliver the best care to people with psoriasis. On the other side of the coin, Drs Chris Bundy and Anna Chisholm from The University of Manchester will advise patients about how to get the most out of their own GP appointments and there’ll also be a panel session to talk about the latest research with leading scientists.
Psoriasis Shout Out Patient Ambassador, Rebecca Darwent-Black said: “Psoriasis is so poorly understood by people and it can make you feel extremely self-conscious. The events that are being put on this year really help to address this problem – both for people with the condition and those who need to know more about it.”
Toby Hadoke said: “I will do anything to raise awareness of psoriasis. Eczema clearly has a better agent, as that is far more well-known and discussed. I also think it helps patients to know they are not alone so the louder we shout the more people will hear”.