HELP!

HELP! I need somebody. HELP!

Do you want to HELP improve research and are interested to know more?

You can help in many ways. You might like to start by listening to Tilly Hale's story about how she has been helping. Thanks to Philippa Yeales, who works at National Institute for Health Research Central Commissioning Facility, for passing this link around. 

You can start by seeing if you can HELP with some research that is beginning to take place. The James Lind Alliance (JLA) brings together people with different conditions together with researchers to find out if there are questions that haven't been asked.

It is always worth doing a search of the internet to see if you can discover ways in which researchers and patients are helping each other.


Here are 3 examples I like -

          for mental health,


                        for cystic fibrosis,


                                        and for cancer.

What happens to us and our loved once can offer information and insight. Sally Magnusson, in her powerful account of her mother's dementia says that it is not that her story is more important but that it could belong to anybody.

Healthtalkonline is an organisation that gathers stories about people's experiences of health and also has a number of examples of where people have helped to make a difference to research.

If you like some of these and would to know more about getting involved then have a look at Involve.

ACRONYM WARNING DANGER! As you enter this world it is worth saying that there are many different organisations that shorten their names to three letter acronyms. For example there are clerks who work in offices, Clarks Shoes, Clarke's in Government and then there are CLAHRCs. You may have to enter the strange world of Acronyms but help will be at hand in a future blog.

Find out more about a CLAHRC here for starters.


It may, now, be time for a cup of tea.


The next stop on my Curious Blog Tour is about INFLUENCING!




Please Note: I have deliberately separated 'helping' from 'influencing' as I believe them to be two parts of what is often referred to as 'public involvement'. I believe that that we have many people who want to just help and offer their account of what happened to them or their loved ones. It is for me a voluntary and altruistic action.