This blog post is a Novartis – sponsored article and part of a collaboration with Two Being Healthy on a campaign called ITP in Focus. It is intended to raise awareness of a condition called immune thrombocytopenia or ITP.
One of our favorite things that we do through our blog and social media channels is talk about managing invisible and chronic illnesses. We discuss our health situation and how we deal withit, and also advocate for those out there with their own long-term health issues. Educating, normalizing, and teaching about different conditions is so important because it not only helps patients, families, and caregivers, but also gives the everyone a chance to connect and understand what others may be going through. We find that with more awareness comes more support, more research, and hopefully more help for those living with chronic conditions. It’s a cycle we love to see.
What Is ITP ?
We were recently introduced to a condition known as immune thrombocytopenia, or ITP for short, a rare blood disorder in which a patient has fewer platelets than normal. 1 ITP can affect energy levels, ability to exercise, and generally impact their work or life.2 While we don’t have this particular disorder, we know all too well about living with a rare disease that touches all parts of life. Finding the right resources that can help offer support and guide you along the way is invaluable.
ITP In Focus
That’s why we were excited to hear about ITP in Focus, a global photo project that aims to raise awareness of ITP. It’s a great resource for patients as well as anyone who wants to learnmoreabout what life with ITP is like. It features inspiring stories of patients from all over the world sharing how they live their lives with ITP, doing the things they love to do everyday, and staying positive despite their diagnosis. That’s what we call a great message! It’s important to not let our medical conditions define us or hold us back from what we want to do in life.While having multiple chronic health conditions can be an emotional and physical rollercoaster, there’s so much more to us than just our diagnosis – that’s why we love what ITP in Focus is all about.
References:
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Immune thrombocytopenia. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/immune-thrombocytopenia.AccessedOctober26,2021.
- CooperN,KruseA,KruseC,etal.Immunethrombocytopenia(ITP)WorldImpactSurvey(I-WISh): Impact of ITP on health-related quality of life.Am J Hematol. 2021;96(2):199-207.
