Do you think you know what sick looks like? Chances are you probably don’t. I certainly don’t.
Of course, there are some times when people do look sick. They may look exhausted, lack color, or have too much color (such as jaundice). They may look gaunt, walk with a limp or be in obvious pain. However, many people with chronic invisible illness likely surround you every day at work or on public transit without you knowing it at all.
Invisible illnesses are striking young people now more than ever before – particularly autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, fibromyalgia and colitis.
Photographer Jodi McKee was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2008 and embarked on a project to help show the world what the faces of these invisible illnesses look like. Her autoimmune portrait project challenges people’s assumptions about these diseases.
“Often, these diseases strike people at a young age and are chronic,” she says “We don’t usually look sick, but they never really go away. There are so many people out there who are struggling with these health issues, and the general public doesn’t really understand. “
“I want to give a face to these diseases to inform my friends and family at least, and the world at best, that we really aren’t “too young to have that”; and that even though we “don’t look sick,” we are. And we need your care and support.”
Let’s have a look at a couple of her portraits.
Carrie. Photo copyright Jodi McKee
Carrie from Brooklyn, NY was diagnosed with Primary sclerosing cholangitis and ulcerative colitis at age 31.
Jacqueline. Photo copyright Jodi McKee
Jacqueline from Long Island was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at age 29. Says Jacqueline “ I told my family to all please read up on this disease, because I feel like they must think I am nuts when I tell them I am having a bad day and feel miserable, when realistically, I look just fine. I think it has been a lesson to me to not assume that you understand another person’s struggles just by looking at them.”
And that pretty much sums up the lesson that invisible illness can teach all of us.
Please visit Jodi’s site here. She works out of New York City and is often on the lookout for portrait subjects. You can contact her through her website and also see if she may be travelling to a community near you.
Great work Jodi!
