pLOG

2024-06-12

Breaking Free from the Conventional Framework of Medical Public Relations: Creativity Sparked by the Collision of "Art" and "Medicine" - A Case Study

Using art exhibitions to raise awareness about diseases has become an important trend in modern health education. Art, with its unique visual and emotional expressions, can touch people's hearts and transcend the limitations of text and cold data. Art exhibitions not only attract a wide audience but also stimulate public interest and empathy towards diseases, thereby driving more societal attention and resource allocation. The "Beyond the Diagnosis" art exhibit is a quintessential example of this trend, opening a window to the world of rare diseases, enhancing education, and accelerating the diagnosis speed within the medical community for this once nearly invisible community.

Exploring the Challenges of the Rare Disease Community

Members of the rare disease community not only endure physical, emotional, and financial burdens but also face a visibility crisis. Patricia Weltin, founder and CEO of the Rare Disease United Foundation, noted, "When you hear the term 'rare disease,' you think it's uncommon. People can't sympathize with our cause because it's unimaginable to them."

The Origin of the Art Exhibit

As a mother of two children with rare diseases, Weltin conceived the "Beyond the Diagnosis" art exhibit in 2015. Her goal was to attract the attention of the medical community, bringing more focus and research to rare diseases. She enlisted artists from Rhode Island to paint portraits of local children with rare diseases and displayed these 17 paintings at Brown University’s medical school. In less than three years, this grassroots movement quickly developed into an influential exhibition. "Now, we have some of the world's top research institutions holding seminars and courses around this exhibition."

Expanding Influence of Art

As the "Beyond the Diagnosis" exhibit tours across the country, including annual displays at the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration, its influence continues to grow. With the amplification through word-of-mouth and social media, hundreds of children's portraits have been painted, and many international artists have expressed a desire to donate their skills.

Since the exhibition began, five children who were painted have passed away. Weltin offered to return the portraits, but every family declined. "They want their children's lives to continue to be the face of this disease, to raise awareness and promote research."

Integrating Art and Education

"Beyond the Diagnosis" not only bridges the rare disease community with the broader world but also demonstrates the powerful force of art in health education. Additionally, this unique exhibition is an educational movement, changing the perception of rare diseases and garnering more attention and support for the rare disease community. The efforts and dedication of artists allow these children's stories to be shared, eliciting societal sympathy and attention.

The Power of Art Penetrating Hearts

Ku Wan-Ju, Director of Caihong Integrated Marketing, with over 15 years of experience in medical public relations and participation in international art exhibitions such as OpenHouseTaipei, Taipei Dangdai Art Fair, Asia Illustration Art Exhibition, and RE

 

Design Art Exhibition, stated that contemporary art's free-spirited nature and reflective questioning through works enable public health education to go beyond one-way "information feeding," opening up spaces for diverse "dialogue" and "flow of feelings." This trend indeed brings new vitality to the conventional operation of medical public relations.

 

However, this trend also tests the PR team's deep understanding of social humanities, connections within the art field, and clients' subjective preferences for types of artistic expressions. The Caihong team has several projects combining art and medicine underway, looking forward to showcasing outstanding cases of integrating medical public relations with art in Taiwan in the future.


Reference:https://www.beyondthediagnosis.org/our-mission