Who ever thought that terminal illness would become a badge of honour or for that matter a fashion statement? Movemeber grow a moe for men’s health, wear a pink ribbon for breast cancer, or a red ribbon for world AIDS day, it would seem a lot of us will wear T-shirts or ribbons to show our support and commitment to fighting terminal illness, but only those diseases considered fashionable.
Wear a ribbon for genital herpes day
Cant recall seeing any one wearing the T-shirt or ribbon to fight the war against genital herpes, nothing would have greater impact than a T- shirt depicting a genital organ covered in blisters. 1 in 5 in the US adolescent and adult population is infected, infection rate are greater amongst women 1 in 4, as opposed to 1 in 5 for men. Its estimated 25% of the adult population are infected of which 80% don’t know they have it.
Gangrene day
You don’t hear much about gangrene a smelly rotting condition that causes peoples limbs to rot off or at least require amputation. In 1993, in the US 21,000 people were admitted to hospital for gangrene in 2003 that number rose to 45,000 and was directly relate to peripheral vascular disease (PVD) and diabetes.
Any takers for Gonorrhoea day
I can see the T-shirt now a great big creamed horn, now that’s disgusting! In 2002 the statistics for gonorrhoea infection were 351,852 people, 75% of all cases was amongst the 19-29 year age group and was most prevalent amongst women. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimated that 700,000 people in the US are infected every year, untreated the bacteria can spread to the joints, heart valves, brain and increase the risk for HIV.
All disease is not created equal
Although breast cancer receives a considerable amount of publicity from the pink water bottles to pink ribbons, it’s a fact that more women die from heart disease, more men die with prostate cancers than from, and heart disease kills more men than it does women. Its about time we addressed all disease with the same conviction as we do the trendy ones, disease doesn’t discriminate so why should we.
