World Psoriasis Day in Italy

WORLD PSORIASIS DAY

25-26 October 2008

The World Psoriasis day is held on 29th October every year, organised in Italy by ADIPSO. The event is held during the weekend closer to the date of 29th October and up to now we have made over 1 million contacts. This year ADIPSO’s volunteers - with the help and professional support of both Dermatologists and Psychologists – were present with their stands in over 50 squares around Italy - spread around all Italian regions - on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th October.

The purpose of the Association is to create awareness – i.e. educate and inform both patients and those who do not know this disease and may have some prejudice towards it due to their lack of information. We try to achieve this target through several information and communication activities:

1. Widespread press activities (National and local Newspapers, Magazines, Radio and TV channels) for the launch of the World Psoriasis Day and for promoting all related activities;
2. ADIPSO TV Spot on air the week before the World Psoriasis Day on national and local TV channels three times a day;
3. Involving all Italian Institutions who have given their support to the event and to the Association and have offered spaces on their portals for further publicity;
4. Press Launch before the major Italian “health” Journalists. Among the spokespeople there will be important names within the Italian Dermatology field and patients who will talk about their experience with psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis;
5. Setting up of over 50 major squares around Italy for Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 October in order to give direct information on the disease to both patients and the general public.
6. Free distribution of ADIPSO News - the official Journal of our Association – in all stands, all Psocare centres or other centres for the treatment of psoriasis and in the Red Cross Provincial Centres;
7. Design, production and distribution of Booklets and information leaflets on Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis;
8. Production of information material and gadgets with the ADIPSO logo to be given to all those visiting our stands;
9. Distribution in all stands of dermo-cosmetic products given to us by the manufacturing companies;
10. Fundraising through the preparation of flower decorations and the distribution of sowbread plants;
11. Radio, TV and press interviews with the President of ADIPSO - Mrs. Mara Maccarone - and its Regional Representatives, before and during the WPD
12. Launch and presentation of all 2009 activities, that will be used by ADIPSO to increase awareness for all Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Patients towards their disease and about new treatments by showing a short film on patients conditions;
13. Regional meetings all over Italy – with interaction between doctors and patients – following the contacts made during the WPD.
14. Multimedia activities: dedicated website to inform in real time on all activities linked to the WPD and indicate a tool-free number to contact for further information;

TARGETS:

• Increase awareness: to let all psoriasis patients know they are not alone and – at the same time - increase public attention towards the devastating effects of the disease and the great difficulties it can cause. Psoriasis is not only a matter of looks; it is a physically and psychologically debilitating disease that requires great attention.
• Improve the access to treatments: urge the NHS, all governments, doctors, health professionals and all those involved in the treatment of psoriasis to enable patients to access all available treatments. A better diagnosis and a better treatment can help to ease the pain of millions of patients who are not currently receiving the help they need.
• Increase knowledge: inform all patients and the public, so that they can learn about the disease and feel free to talk about it. Prejudice kills psoriatic patients and relegates them to the fringes of Society. We must – first of all and absolutely – break down on false beliefs towards the disease, such as that it is contagious.
• Create unity within the psoriasis community: create a platform from which the voices of all psoriatic patients from all over the world can be heard as one great voice by all “decision makers”.

1. Awareness
2. Awaken
3. Communicate
4. Educate
5. Inform