About me
My name is Andy Collinson, I love travelling, health and fitness, snowboarding and Formula 1. I've also lived with severe atopic dermatitis my whole life, primarily manifesting as Psoriasis and Eczema. An all encompassing condition which has negatively impacted every area of my life both physically and mentally.
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The catastrophic impact in particular on a persons mental health from a visible difference is something which is often underappreciated at best and completely dismissed at worst, even by some health care professionals.
I recently fell into some patient advocacy work which started with a large pharmaceutical company and then naturally branched out to The British Skin Foundation, National Eczema society, Changing Faces and Eczema Outreach Support. This has inspired me to continue this work and help those who are suffering in any way I can.
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I have a life time of experience living with a visible condition and of relentlessly experimenting with all forms of treatment available in an attempt to ease the symptoms. I would like to use this platform to share my experiences and with the aim to create a community in which we can all support one another.
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People who live with a visible difference simply do not mobilise in the same way those do living with other chronic illnesses. Perhaps this is due to feelings of shame and embarrassment or because we so often feel belittled and dismissed that we only want to hide away. We mustn't be afraid to speak up and demand the care and help that we often so desperately need.
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