Why would anyone look at a psoriasis website…. This interview really surprised me. I thought I knew what resources where on offer, but actually- the Psoriasis Association goes way and beyond what I thought they did. I always thought these places were for people newly diagnosed, who needed to find out what psoriasis is. I have had psoriasis since before the internet was a thing so where I got this naive view from I am not entirely sure. Why we need to use free services like this (even if we think we know it all….) Accessing Dermatology care is challenging worldwide. This may be because of financial cost, a shortage of qualified medical staff (as it is in the UK) or geographical challenges. Therefore these services that are freely available to anyone in the world are critically important. They offer things out doctors cannot– peer support and research into the areas that we find the most frustrating. I saw Helen McAteer speak last week, the Chief Executive of the Psoriasis Association, U.K. She presented notes from the first meetings of the Association – those notes are 50 years old. They outline the struggles that fellow psoriatics were facing, and they have not changed much; the psychological burden of itching for example. What was powerful was that here the doctors were listening to their patients and coming together to find a solution; this is still at the core of the Association. Put it this way- I signed up as a member as soon as the interview ended. I hope you gain value here- even if it's in order to help someone else. I pitch five common scenarios we find ourself in living with psoriasis- and find out exactly what support is on offer. I am certain you will know someone you can help with this knowledge…so lets dive in shall we? Episode Highlights What the Psoriasis Association actually does (its more than you think). Funding research that we actually want Membership highlights- I really think this is great for people who are out of the loop but would benefit from a convenient quarterly update posted through the door. Case Studies: [25 mins] What to do when you arrive home after being newly diagnosed- and realise you didn’t listen to your Dr. after the shock of the diagnosis. [28 mins] What to do if you are the parent of a child diagnosed with psoriasis and you want to take control of their care [31 mins] You are a teenager struggling with the psychological burden of the disease but don’t want to talk to anyone [35 mins] You have has psoriasis f-o-r-e-v-e-r but its driving you crazy again so you want to know if there have been any new advances to see if it's worth going back to the Derms office. [39 mins] You are mid flare and you need to talk to someone who ‘gets it’ About Dom Urmston & The Psoriasis Association Dom Urmston from The Psoriasis Association Dom Urmston is the Digital Communications officer at the Psoriasis Association. He fell onto my radar during the Instagram debacle earlier in the year, where he protested so passionately to get the psoriasis hashtag reinstated i had subconsciously decided he must have psoriasis. The Psoriasis Association is a charity and membership organisation who support people living with psoriasis and their families. In addition, they invest in research and providing up to date information to clinicians. Support can be accessed in a number of ways including forums, facebook pages and groups, on Twitter and Instag