
News World Psoriasis Day, News, Real Stories
Rwanda: Hidden dangers of untreated psoriasisIFPA Psoriatic Disease Ambassadors speak up for change on all fronts. Ambassadors are strong advocates. They are individuals with personal experience living with psoriatic disease and/or as a family-member, close friend, or caregiver to someone with psoriatic disease. They publicly raise their voices to call out decision-makers, demand patient involvement in research, and strengthen the psoriatic disease community.
Zakieyah Ajouhaar
Ambassador
Cape Town, South Africa
"I have been living with psoriatic disease for the past 10 years. As an ambassador I'd like to create a greater awareness about psoriatic disease especially in my community."
Iman AlGhaithi
Ambassador
Buraimi, Oman
"I was diagnosed with psoriasis 12 years ago. As an ambassador, I fight for myself before the rest. Raising our voice to the world to learn about psoriasis means a new life for every patient."
Jarar Ali
Ambassador
Karachi, Pakistan
"I have been living with Psoriasis since 8 years. As an Ambassador I want to convey this to the general public that Psoriasis is not contagious. The government need to work for equal access to treatment, work and support, immediately."
Emmylou Casanova
Ambassador
Manila, Philippines
"I have been surviving Psoriatic disease for the past 20 years and now I am ready to raise my voice about my plight for the benefit of those who suffered like me. As an ambassador, I would like to stop the stigma, demand equal access to treatment, and insist that the national governments take action, Now!"
Linzi Dunlevy
Ambassador
Motherwell, Scotland
“I’ve been living with psoriasis for more than 10 years since I started teaching in my early 20’s. I have experienced 4 different types of psoriasis and I feel lucky that I am at a stage now where I am managing my psoriasis and I feel in control of it. I want to raise awareness so that no sufferer ever feels alone.”
Ilse van Ee
Ambassador
Leusden, Netherlands
"I am a professional patient advocate using my lifelong journey with psoriasis to fight for reproductive health, people with psoriatic disease, and more."
Hellen Wangui Gathere
Ambassador
Nairobi, Kenya
"I've been living with psoriatic disease for 15 years. As an IFPA Ambassador I advocate for equal access to medication and treatment the world over, and more importantly I advocate for completely doing away with stigmatization."
Pierre Celestin Habiyaremye
Ambassador
Kigali, Rwanda
"Where I come from, people see psoriasis as a curse. I want to correct the stigma and help people who have the same disease."
Yervand Hakobyan
Ambassador
Yerevan, Armenia
"As a practicing hematologist living with mild psoriasis, I believe in cooperation between patients and the medical community for advocacy."
Christina Larsen
Ambassador
Fjenneslev, Denmark
"I have been living with psoriatic disease for 30 years. As an Ambassador I fight for equal treatment and to eradicate taboos."
Leticia Lopez
Ambassador
San Juan, Puerto Rico
"I was diagnosed with psoriasis at the age of 12 and developed psoriatic arthritis when I was 18. I founded APAPP, the patient association in my country to meet the need for patient support that I uncovered while writing my doctoral dissertation in Education (specializing in Guidance and Counseling)."
Joel Nelson
Ambassador
Norwich, UK
"I am an arthritis and psoriasis patient advocate and writer, sharing my story of psoriatic-associated Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis to raise awareness."
Sofia Lovi Ramasamy
Ambassador
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
"I speak up for psoriatic disease and people who are differently abled. It is a pleasure to be a part of this advocacy journey."
Kate Reynolds
Ambassador
Windsor, Canada
"After surviving a severe GPP flare in 2019, I become motivated to advocate for better awareness, diagnosis, and treatment for people living with rare forms of psoriatic disease."
Reena Ruparelia
Ambassador
Toronto, Canada
"I've been living with psoriatic disease for 26 years. As an Ambassador, I use my voice to amplify the voices of others who are living with the condition so we can all move together into a healthy and more hopeful future."
David Salazar
Ambassador
Quito, Ecuador
"These 12 years with psoriatic disease have taught me to rethink my health and my relationship with others. As an IFPA Ambassador I want to show that psoriasis can become your greatest strength to move on with your life."
Chiara Lionel Salim
Ambassador
Jakarta, Indonesia
"I have been living with psoriatic disease for 13 years. I have found advocating for psoriasis as my mission in life with the goal of eradicating stigma, educating people on psoriasis, and uplifting their quality of life, especially in Indonesia."
Rocyie Wong
Ambassador
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
"I have been living with psoriatic disease for 14 years. As an ambassador, I fight for inclusivity."
Orie Yamashita
Ambassador
Tochigi, Japan
"I have been living with psoriatic disease for about 30 years. As an Ambassador, I would like to raise awareness of psoriasis, aiming for a world without suffering from psoriatic disease. I would also like to disseminate correct information about psoriatic disease to patients and society."
Camille Lancelot
Community Manager
Camille runs IFPA's member services and capacity development programs. She has a background in development work and teaching as well as a Master in Cultural Projects for Development. Camille has lived and worked in the USA, Senegal, Benin, France, and Sweden.
Ambassadors are powerful representatives for our shared mission by speaking up as individuals with psoriatic disease.
The Ambassador Program boosts the role of people living with psoriatic disease as valuable experts in the global arena. Ambassadors represent the diversity of people affected by the disease as well as of the disease itself.
People living with psoriatic disease can and should influence processes that affect them. They are experts who deserve to be compensated for their input.
By shifting the model of engagement of people with lived experiences from a tokenistic presence to meaningful involvement, IFPA wants to set an example for other organizations in showing the value of the expertise that only people living with a disease have.
You’ve come to the right place! IFPA Psoriatic Disease Ambassadors are prepared to speak or participate in all types of engagements.
To request a Psoriatic Disease Ambassador for your next event, fill out the form and submit it to info@ifpa-pso.com.
The Ambassador Program consists of trainings and informational materials to help develop your messaging and storytelling skills. As an Ambassador, your voice and story will be featured in advocacy and awareness campaigns.
Because people living with psoriatic disease are experts with valuable input, Ambassadors are offered compensation for the time they spend on the program. Another major goal of the Ambassador Program is to represent the diversity of psoriatic disease itself as well as the people living with it.
Ambassadors are also supported by IFPA to accept invitations from external parties, such as scientific conferences or corporate partners.
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