World Psoriasis Day 2005: Focus on local planned activities Find out the latest news on the build up around the world to WPD 2005! Highlights of WPD Meeting in Amsterdam Materials and resources for 2005 - Ad kit + merchandise and outfits! Your feedback: Action Planners received so far Calendar Michèle Corvest to address Wyeth affiliates! Finding sponsorship Tips for lobbying the media and politicians This e-bulletin belongs to you Coming soon…

The first WPD 2005 meeting took place on 19 and 20 April 2005 in Amsterdam. 28 patient associations around the world were present and fully motivated to discuss and exchange ideas about the new activities for WPD 2005.

The meeting started with an update on WPD 2004 followed by the presentation of the official WPD sponsors and the goals & aims for 2005. The next day the group exchanged ideas and revealed their plans for WPD 2005. After this there were several interesting presentations on the importance of the lobbying process.

The materials and resources needed for WPD 2005 were discussed at the meeting in Amsterdam. Materials and resources used so successfully in 2004 are currently being updated for WPD 2005. The WPD Steering Committee are also considering several proposed merchandising ideas to help support WPD 2005, including items of clothing in WPD colors.

The updated materials and resources, the WPD 2005 Communication Kit, will be sent out on 30 June and will consist of:

• Branding Guide
• DigiBeta tape of the WPD animation
• Lobbying slides
• CD-ROM containing:
  • Full artwork and press-ready PDF of posters and leaflets
  • PDF of the Branding Guide
  • The lobbying slides

All patient associations were advised during the meeting in Amsterdam that they should only go to the affiliates of the international sponsors to have these materials produced.

Very many thanks to Acció Psoriasi, Spain, and Danmarks Psoriasis Förening, Denmark for their Action Planners shown below.

Once we have received your feedback on what you are planning to do to mark WPD 2005, a calendar will be produced showing events that are going to take place around the world. Send us your Action Planner and look out for the calendar in the next e-bulletin.

We have great news in that Michèle Corvest, President of the Association pour la Lutte contre le Psoriasis, Parc du Bondon, France recently addressed Wyeth affiliates to raise awareness of WPD and the job that patient associations do in helping to improve the lives of people with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

Great ideas can be found from within the ranks of the WPD members! Long standing organizations are able to offer advice on many ways of attracting sponsors. Finding the right sponsors is not easy; persistence, perseverance and tact will keep you on the right track.

An important aspect of the meeting in Amsterdam was the issue of lobbying. The question "Is it the job of a patient association to lobby politicians?" was raised. Everybody agreed that patient associations should undertake to lobby, where possible, both the media and politicians.

There were several excellent presentations given at the Amsterdam meeting. The first presentation was by Jan Monsbakken, on the principles and concepts of lobbying. Sheri Decker followed with a case study on how the principles of lobbying can be applied to the psoriasis patient associations. The session was rounded up by Ron Hayen (Wyeth, Official WPD Sponsor) on the importance of using health economics information in the lobbying process.

Slides from these presentations will be included in the WPD Communication Kit.

Lobbying tips shared at the meeting include:

• Use a famous/well-known person in order to generate interest.
• Focus on the key journalists and media outlets - if they pick up the story, others will follow.
• In big countries it is quite difficult to reach the mass media, focus on the regional media (local TV channels etc.) and pick the principal outlets.
• Use health economics/financial data when lobbying the media and the politicians.
• Be well-prepared, precise, professional, and polite. If you persevere it will pay off!

For the forthcoming issues, we want to hear what you have to say. Tell us your story; let us know what your plans are to mark World Psoriasis Day 2005 and how your planned activities are progressing. Please send your feedback either by e-mail getintouch@worldpsoriasisday.com or via our online feedback form.

Issue 3 - World Psoriasis Day e-bulletin:

• Discover the new look of the WPD posters and leaflets and read more about how the activities are progressing in various countries.
• Read more information, stories and events from around the world in the lead up to World Psoriasis Day.

Email us getintouch@worldpsoriasisday.com