HIV, lupus, Lyme disease, multiple sclerosis, scoliosis … Many imagine the disease as something that can be seen from the outside, but many ailments are invisible to the naked eye. Also, it can be difficult for patients to talk about it.
Invisible diseases exposed in broad daylight
With the online community “Suffering the silence”, Allie Cashel and her friend Erica Lupinacci have decided to highlight people with chronic “invisible” diseases through a series of portraits. The photos, accompanied by a caption on the history of each, show these patients with their mouths hidden and their diagnosis written on the left arm.
The series draws attention to illnesses, everyday life and reminds us that it is impossible to make assumptions about a person based solely on outward appearance. “Just because not seeing the disability doesn’t mean it’s not there,” says Allie Cashel.
#SufferingTheSilence on social networks
Allie fight against Lyme disease since she was 7 years old. She chose her illness as the subject for her university thesis and for her recently released book.
With Erica Lupinacci, suffering from lupus since she was 18, Allie has wanted to create a space for discussion between people with chronic illnesses. This movement has received a huge response online and has even made its way onto social media Twitter (@ststogether) and Instagram (@sufferingthesilence) where users can share their stories using the hashtag #SufferingTheSilence.
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