The Eczema Association of Australasia (EAA) is calling on people to #OwnYourEczema as part of Eczema Awareness Day 2022 (14 September).
A social media campaign aimed at teenagers and young adults aims to bring awareness to how the condition affects young people at school, or at university.
Using a popular platform that is highly targeted towards young people, TikTok, EAA encourages young people to use the platform to share content, stories and videos speaking about their eczema using the hashtag #OwnYourEczema
Raising awareness
The cost of living with eczema is significant – financially, mentally, emotionally, and socially.
While there is a lot of general support about how to manage the condition with treatment, little is known about the true impact of eczema for teenagers and young people, says Cheryl Talent, President of the Eczema Association of Australasia (EAA)
“This campaign will specifically focus on teenagers and young adults, who are soon to be or are financially independent,” she says.
“People who develop eczema as children often have their management paid for and taken care of by a parent, loved one or carer, and feel daunted about taking this on themselves.”
The campaign will speak directly to a youth audience with tips like how to budget – specifically around eczema costs, how to manage your condition at school, easy ways to tell people about your eczema, how to find a support network and materials and assets that can guide you through this difficult time.
“The campaign will be a people-led social and digital campaign, using the power of voice, community, and togetherness – young people sharing their stories to support each other,” Ms Talent says. “This campaign will use influencers/ambassadors to spread the message and encourage people to sign a petition calling for more support.”
Get involved
Pharmacies can become involved by directing patients to the EAA website eczema.org.au or its social media platforms: Facebook eczemaau, Twitter eczemaau, Instagram eczemaau, or TikTok @eczemaau.
Pharmacies can also request a display poster and copies of the EAA brochure ‘Caring for your Eczema’ by emailing help@eczema.org.au or calling 1300 300 182 to help spread awareness of the condition and the help available from the EAA.
