I have a hidden disability called Gastroparesis, which means paralyzed stomach. As the name says is my stomach parsley paralyzed which affects my stomach’s ability to digest food properly.

Because Gastroparesis is an illness you cannot see, is it considered invisible.

For a while now, have I been working with an organization called “mage-tarm Forbundet”. they work towards normalizing illnesses and problems in the stomach and intestinal region, for example Chromes, IBS, and Gastroparesis.

What all this has in common is that they are invisible, and people with this can therefore have trouble being understood and believed. “Mage-tarm Forbundet” started therefore a campaign showing two photos of the same person. Photo one is a normal photo of a person, but in photo two is this photo covered with words. This words are tings that the person are struggling with, but that no one can see.

Under here can you see my photo. The words are in Norwegian, so translated does it say: pain, operation, scar, loosing weight, nausea, vitamins, throwing up and medication. 

The meaning with this campaign is to show that despite a person looking “normal” and healthy, do you never know if/what tings that could be hidden. This is not only the case for hidden physical disability/illness but also for mental health and other hidden struggles.

We as humans are often really good at reading people, but no mater how good can we never fully know or understand what a person might be going through. I therefore believe that it is even more important to be careful of what we say, do and think towards other people. For all we might know that person could be in extreme pain, tired, scared or hopeless.

My point is, just because someone doesn’t “look sick” does not mean they are not, and that was also the point of the campaign.

I believe that education and understanding is the key to breaking negative stigma, normalize and empower people with invisible illness, and this campaign does just that. I am therefore proud of being a part of this, and showing that it is more to someone’s health than what you can see.