What Can I Do for Someone with a Disability?

10/16/2019

Did you know it's Invisible Disabilities Week? If not, now you know and can share the news with others. How visible an illness or disability is does not determine its severity. Millions suffer not only from invisible disabilities and illnesses but also from others' misunderstanding. You can change that by:

Sharing your own experience on social media using hashtags #invisibleillness and #InvisibleDisabilitiesWeek
Sharing this guide to interacting with people with ME/CFS (and similar exhausting invisible illnesses)
Learning more about the invisible illness experience in the book Lightening the Shadow

Darla Nagel is a biomedical copy editor who has an invisible chronic illness. She wants to help other patients and enlighten health care professionals about our experiences. If you’d like to receive quarterly updates from her, sign up by emailing darla.nagel{a}gmail.com.

4 Comments

Linda Miller

10/16/2019 12:46:51 pm

Excellent information. Important for all to know. This is a valuable heads up for everyone, including loved ones of people with invisible illnesses.

Darla Nagel link

10/18/2019 07:01:51 am

Thank you for taking the time to comment and for your support, Linda, as always! A little kindness and understanding mean so, so much to patients and their caregivers.

Katie B.

10/18/2019 07:13:04 am

I have fibro, and it's even hard for doctors to get it. They think if you're walking, you're okay, and they don't realize how much it hurts then and later. #invisibleillness

Darla Nagel link

10/18/2019 07:27:42 am

My heart goes out to you, Katie. Thanks for commenting. It's terrible that the people who are supposedly experts in caring for patients are the ones who often need the most education. I find having a family member present to back up what I say to doctors helps a little.

Lightening the Shadow