Kevin's Story - Psoriasis Cure Now Patient Calendar November 2008

JAN | FEB | MAR | APR
MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG
SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC

OUR SPONSORS

Kevin - frustration, secrecy, the reality for many people with psoriasis

Looking at Kevin’s photos, we would guess that the world is his oyster. But Kevin has been living with psoriasis for seven lonely, frustrating years. And his story is one we hear over and over again from psoriasis patients across the nation (and the world, actually). "I don't enjoy life like many people do," he says, "because I spend most of my time concealing the ugly traits of my psoriasis." For Kevin, that means covering up skin that he has scratched to the point of bleeding and vacuuming his bed to remove flakes of skin that he sheds during the night. "We all shed skin cells, but I shed like a reptilian," he says.

Having learned from his dermatologist that sun and salt water might help his skin, Kevin moved from New York to Florida six years ago. It was a bold decision--he didn't really know anyone in Florida, although he has since reconnected with some family members there that he hadn't spoken to in years--and an indication of how desperate he was to get some relief from his psoriasis.

Unfortunately, exposing his skin to the elements also meant exposing his psoriasis to public view, something he did not want to do. To this day, he does not wear shorts, and he does not go to the beach. He knows that many people do not understand what psoriasis is, and he imagines their cruel comments. "It might be my own psychological thing," he says, but psoriasis has forced him into hibernation.

So much effort goes into keeping it a secret, Kevin says, that sometimes people with psoriasis do not even recognize a fellow sufferer. In fact, he just recently learned that someone he has worked with for several years also has psoriasis. They had no idea that they had that in common.

As for treatments, Kevin thinks that he has tried them all, and they have all failed him--creams, ointments, even a biologic medication that has worked dramatically well for many other psoriasis patients. He is still taking the biologic, but he is worried about its effects on his immune system, and his insurance company isn’t happy about the $1400/month price tag. He is looking for a new dermatologist, hoping for some fresh ideas.

It wasn’t easy for Kevin, who usually tries very hard to keep his psoriasis a secret, to volunteer to put his picture and story on a calendar. But he believes it is important to educate the public about psoriasis. First of all, he says, if more people understand what psoriasis is—a non-contagious immune system ‘malfunction’--there will be fewer stares and thoughtless comments. And, the more people out there who are thinking about psoriasis, the sooner there will be a cure. “You never know,” he says. “The cure could come from someone who right now knows nothing about medicine.” Kevin is passionate about finding a cure for psoriasis. Medications that just treat the symptoms of psoriasis are not the answer, he says. Even when they work, they are expensive and many patients need to stay on them throughout their lives. “We need a cure,” he says, “and I am sure a cure is possible.”

###

Write to Congress about psoriasis research. And get our free Psoriasis Treatment Tips Newsletter.

[Pictures of Kevin by Bob Garas.]