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    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of and finding treatments for complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

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Design a Brochure

Tammie

Senior Member
Messages
793
Location
Woodridge, IL
Great to see you fresh eyes! :hug: It would be great if you could make a file for the info card and other ad stuff you designed.

Tammie- thank you for bumping this up and contributing to it. :Retro smile:

tee

tee, you're more than welcome......have you had a chance to look at the last suggestion I made (the one that you thought you liked but wanted to look at again when less foggy) ?

I don't know how to put more than one quote on here or I would quote it again......it is on this page (8) I think - it's re changing the part about pain (where it is mentioned a second time) to something about neuro & cognitive issues

I am not trying to rush you or anythig, but if we are getting to the point of actually being able to print it, I realy think it would be good to change that.....otherwise I think that the whole thing is really awesome....you come up with some very good ideas : )

ok, figured out how to quote it.....here is what i wrote -


" I was looking at this again, and had one more minor suggestion.....since it already mentions pain in the first paragraph, and since there are so many other symptoms, as well, I was thinking that in the list (that starts with orthostatic intolerance) instead of saying pain again, maybe we could put "neurological & cognitive issues" -or "neurological & cognitive" and then a synonym for issues since the word issues is used rt after that.....sorry I am not coming up with any other word at the moment bc my own cognitive issues are kicking in rt now : )

or if not that than maybe sleep issues, but I think that sleep tends to fall into the same easily dismissed category as fatigue

.....anyway, like I said, it's just a thought - it kind of seems like repeating ourselves when there are so many disabling symptoms to choose from sort of weakens our case (not sure if that makes sense, but it kind of seems like if we put too much emphasis on it it's not as believable, or like it looks like we don't really have that much wrong so we have to repeat something...and the neuro and cognitive issues ARE a big part of this illness"
 

Tammie

Senior Member
Messages
793
Location
Woodridge, IL
I've spent some time as a professional copyeditor. If you like, I can proofread the text for you before you print it. E-mail it to susan (at) cinderbridge (dot) com.

This is the kind of thing where you really don't want typos, capitalization errors, etc. :)

nice of you to offer.....and you are rt - this has to be as professional as possible.....there is one last possible change to the draft, though, that I had mentioend and tee was going to look at it before we are finished.....my comments about that are in the comment rt before this one......what do you think?
 

Tammie

Senior Member
Messages
793
Location
Woodridge, IL
just thought I'd bump this up again......with CFS awareness day coming up in May (the 12th), I was thinking that this could be a great little tool for helping spread awareness (obviously other times, too, but I think it would be wonderful for awareness day)

I still think that the second mention of pain (in the list that starts with orthostatic intolerance) should be changed to neurological and cognitive issues......i think that for the reasons I already mentioned and also bc this IS a neurological illness, so it would be good to mention that ; )

sorry if I seem to be pushing this too much......I am honestly not trying to pressure anyone - I just think that it is far too good of an idea to let it die
 

starryeyes

Senior Member
Messages
1,558
Location
Bay Area, California
Thank you Tammie. That was a good suggestion. I like that much better too. If I didn't suffer from cognitive dysfunction I would have changed it before now. :tear:

Thanks for your offer Cinderkeys. That would be great.

What are we going to do with this now?
 

jace

Off the fence
Messages
856
Location
England
Teejkay's original (v. good) needs to be on this page too. I've just come across this thread, and it is inspiring, so I thought I'd try and sum up, and put my own oar in too.

Not All Disabilities Are Visible
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
is one of many invisible illnesses.

Looks can be deceiving. People with CFS
may look well but they can be in intractable
pain and often experience many
debilitating symptoms of illness such as:

Orthostatic Intolerance
Immune System Impairment
Neurological and Cognitive Issues
Gastrointestinal Issues
Cardiovascular Problems
Breathing Difficulties

In CFS the body's cells do not produce
enough energy to function properly
which causes a myriad of symptoms,
many of which are crippling and disabling.

Studies show that CFS patients can
experience a level of disability that’s equal
to that of patients with late-stage AIDS,
patients undergoing chemotherapy, and
patients with Multiple Sclerosis.

For more Info visit:
http://www.cfids-cab.org/MESA/ccpc.html (Canadian Definition of CFS)
This would work, with a three-fold A4 (almost foolscap size) leaflet (do you have A0 - A6 paper sizes in the US?) with graphics and stuff added. This link was suggested as an example by gracenote:
http://www.me-cfs.org.au/files/health_prof_brochure.pdf

Certainly, downloadable artwork on the web is a good starting point, as then it would be available for anyone wanting to print 1 to 1,000,000 copies.

A leaflet based on Teej's work, above, with references to further information would be great for medical professionals, neighbors, family, people who may already have a concern with you.

People have talked about a shorter, snappy postcard type thing too, with an attractive or gruesome graphic on one side, expanded and explained on the other. In street campaigning the important principle is KISS. (Keep It Simple Stupid) If you are handed something in the street, it has to grab you quickly, or it is soon in the trash. Public information campaign basic. That is why I love the idea of an A4 artwork to print 4 different cards out. Both sides. Which makes it A6 finished.

Which would fit in a sock... Sock it to ME :D:victory::victory::D


My contraction suggestion (ouch!) for words for the reverse of a postcard, to kick it off:

CFS is debilitating, devastating and invisible.
People with CFS suffer from pain and difficulty with balance,
thinking, digestion, movement, sight, hearing and sleep.

In CFS it feels like your battery is flat all the time, and you've
lost your charger. It is not just tired, it is exhaustion, all the time.

CFS can be as bad as having AIDs or chemotherapy or severe
multiple sclerosis. You would not want it. Please help us fight it
by understanding the truth and supporting research and treatment

Further information from http://www.cfids-cab.org/MESA/ccpc.html
(and another general link)

What do you guys think?
 

gracenote

All shall be well . . .
Messages
1,537
Location
Santa Rosa, CA
Excellent Jace.

I'm wondering, with the Sock it to ME project, if we need to add ME to the CFS. CFS/ME or ME/CFS. (The website you suggested linking to uses ME/CFS.)
 

jace

Off the fence
Messages
856
Location
England
I agree, gracenote. I hate the CFS label, which has taken over here in England too, as I feel it is not an accurate description of my disease, at least.

My humble junior vote is for ME/CFS, given we need to communicate with people who may only know the CFS label.
 

starryeyes

Senior Member
Messages
1,558
Location
Bay Area, California
Wow, your post has left me breathless Jace. Your ideas sound great but I'm so fogged, I really need help with this.

By all means we should go with ME/CFS because that is the "official" name now for CFS. The problem is then we have to explain what ME stands for which will take up more room and might distract people and throw them off. They may say.. "big words, never heard them before" and chuck it. I don't know. We could put the "Myalgic Encephalomyelitis" in small print.

Suggestions?
 

gracenote

All shall be well . . .
Messages
1,537
Location
Santa Rosa, CA
I think the public (at least in the US) is more familiar with the name chronic fatigue syndrome. What about something like the following. If we repeat it enough, people will start to make the connection.

chronic fatigue syndrome
ME/CFS
 

starryeyes

Senior Member
Messages
1,558
Location
Bay Area, California
People will ask what the "ME" stands for and you'll have to explain it to them verbally if the name "Myalgic Encephalomyelitis" isn't written on there and you include "ME". We may need to say "ME aka CFS" and then write out what "ME" stands for.

Part of why I didn't include "ME" in the draft for the info card is because when fresh_eyes was making posters etc.. for awareness, we discussed what name to use and it turned out that "CFS" looked the best on the posters and also people have usually heard of it.

This is always a major conundrum for us.
 

Tammie

Senior Member
Messages
793
Location
Woodridge, IL
People will ask what the "ME" stands for and you'll have to explain it to them verbally if the name "Myalgic Encephalomyelitis" isn't written on there and you include "ME". We may need to say "ME aka CFS" and then write out what "ME" stands for.

Part of why I didn't include "ME" in the draft for the info card is because when fresh_eyes was making posters etc.. for awareness, we discussed what name to use and it turned out that "CFS" looked the best on the posters and also people have usually heard of it. "

I know what you mean, and have mixed feelings about this......but I do think that if we went with what gracenotes suggested (see below), it would be easy enough if someone asked to say that ME is myalgic encephelomyelitis and that's what other countries call CFS (we wouldn't have to go into a detailed explanation):

"I think the public (at least in the US) is more familiar with the name chronic fatigue syndrome. What about something like the following. If we repeat it enough, people will start to make the connection.

chronic fatigue syndrome"
ME/CFS

This is always a major conundrum for us."

I wish we cuold just use ME, but there are a lot of reasons why that won't work.....anyway, I will be ok with whatever we decide about this - just thought I'd give my thoughts on it, tough
 

Tammie

Senior Member
Messages
793
Location
Woodridge, IL
What happened to the picture that we were going to put on the front of the brochure? I might have a way to at least get this into a file that people could print out on their own ( a friend who is here rt now know how to do it, but the pic is gone).
 

starryeyes

Senior Member
Messages
1,558
Location
Bay Area, California
Sorry Tammy, I don't know what picture you mean. Was there a picture? :confused:

Do you mean this picture?

CFSsupport-cfs-ribbon-1.gif


How about when we put this on a website we make 2 versions. One ME/CFS, and one just CFS?

SOLVED! :D
 

jace

Off the fence
Messages
856
Location
England
Teejkay, I don't want to support Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I want a cure, I want understanding. I want to help support PWC.

Techies, is a PDF a good medium for downloadable card artwork, for printing out, or is there something better?
 

gracenote

All shall be well . . .
Messages
1,537
Location
Santa Rosa, CA
What happened to the picture that we were going to put on the front of the brochure? I might have a way to at least get this into a file that people could print out on their own ( a friend who is here rt now know how to do it, but the pic is gone).

I seem to remember fresh eyes was doing a picture. The one I remember had someone playing a guitar who was missing. There was talk about using other type scenarios with someone missing. I tried to find that thread last night, and I can't find it. I was thinking that the 4 in 1 (4 cut from one sheet) was going to have a picture on one side with minimum words, and the text on the back. This may not have been specifically for the brochure. Wish I could find it.
 

starryeyes

Senior Member
Messages
1,558
Location
Bay Area, California
I get your point Jace but I think they mean support CFS as in "be supportive of people with it and biological funding" etc... anyway, we can always just put a blue ribbon on card somewhere without the words.

Fresheyes did make pictures for cards etc... It's right here:

http://www.forums.aboutmecfs.org/showthread.php?1712-help-quot-re-brand-quot-CFS&highlight=awareness

I PM'd freshy the other day and she said she'll be happy to post her stuff onto the new website when it's made. I think it would be great to put one of the pictures she made onto the info card from this thread too.
 

Tammie

Senior Member
Messages
793
Location
Woodridge, IL
there is no picture at that link - just something about rebranding....but yeah it was the picture of the guitar player with the person whited out
 

gracenote

All shall be well . . .
Messages
1,537
Location
Santa Rosa, CA
there is no picture at that link - just something about rebranding....but yeah it was the picture of the guitar player with the person whited out

Tammie, the graphics start with post 61.

I forgot how great that thread was. It stopped on December 24th. I hope we can use those ideas, because some of them were excellent.
 

Tammie

Senior Member
Messages
793
Location
Woodridge, IL
gracenote

there is no picture showing there anymore.....at least it is not comng up on my computer

and i agree - I really would like to be able to get this to the point where we can print it out and use it - I think it will be a wonderful awareness tool (& awareness day is May 12 - would be really cool to have by then)