Since the beginning, Personalized Cause® has been dedicated to educating the public and advocating for health and social causes, movements that impact animals, and the need for more public awareness of mental health issues. In terms of medical issues, we believe it is crucial to foster preventative behaviors as well as encourage early detection for diseases and disorders, illnesses, and cancers. We see advocacy as a way for people to take back control of their lives and health, and to simultaneously help others.
In addition to advocating for disease awareness, we also advocate for social and mental health causes. Again, our mission is the same: to create a compassionate environment for those who need, want and deserve to be heard. Through other simple symbolic awareness products such as wristbands and fabric ribbons, we strive to help fight for any cause that hits close to home.
We have been honored with multiple nominations for a WEGO Health Award in the category of Best In Show: Instagram and we invite you to follow us on social media (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest) to learn more about Personalized Cause® and the work we do to raise awareness and make the world a more accepting and compassionate place to be heard.
A Little More About Us at Personalized Cause
Many years ago, Personalized Cause’s founder was diagnosed with a disease that most people hadn’t heard about at the time. She faced a great deal of misunderstanding and dismissal, as well as the stigma that comes with a chronic illness, especially one that was also an invisible illness. At the same time, she had a friend battling breast cancer. She noticed the strong sense of community that the pink cancer awareness ribbons provided for those who battled the disease. It also became clear that the cancer pins were a catalyst for spreading awareness, information and support for those battling breast cancer.
Not long after, her daughter faced a series of difficult diagnoses. In an effort to support her daughter, and raise awareness and understanding of both of their health struggles, she searched for a company that sold customizable ribbons. She knew she couldn’t be the only one who wished to put a name to an illness or cause.
Cancer ribbons alone don’t always humanize an illness or cause. Sometimes, others need to see a name or phrase in order to fully grasp why a cause is personal. In the founder’s case, “Myself and My Daughter,” was inscribed on the first Personalized Cause® awareness ribbon. She soon saw that people were so much more likely to ask her about the ribbon, and why she wore it. Her engraving spoke volumes.
People would often want to speak to her longer, trying to learn more about her personal health journey, as well as her daughter’s. And they started to educate themselves on the disease. This change in behavior demonstrated how one person trying to raise awareness for a cause that’s close to their heart really does affect understanding and passion to make an impact or find a cure.
She also experienced an unexpected result of wearing the custom awareness ribbons. For the first time, she felt empowered in a situation where she powerless. She couldn’t control her own illness any more than she could control her daughter’s. But by wearing the custom ribbon, she found that it gave her ownership of her illness rather than the other way around. Instead of feeling defeated by her body or trapped by her illness, she felt liberated and motivated by her ability to raise awareness and educate her community.
One small awareness pin has the potential for change on both a personal and community level. Rather than advocating for only her own causes, she wanted to inspire others facing a personal health crisis, or the health crisis of a loved one. She wanted others to do the same. She always said that she wanted to put a face to an illness because that is what provides the strength to fight for a cure.
Awareness Blog
With that in mind, and with the best of intentions, we have decided to start an awareness blog. Our blog will not focus on just one cause. Instead, it will focus on the multitude of causes and their national or international awareness observance days, weeks or months.
Awareness IS Education, and Education Raises Awareness!
You are bound to encounter people who are affected by at least one of the many causes we’ll be covering. And when you do, we hope you will make others feel understood and accepted, rather than automatically asking them to explain themselves to you. We hope you choose to learn, rather than choosing to remain ignorant to other people’s struggles.
We want to give you the tools to change how you see someone who is struggling. We want to encourage you to pass on knowledge to someone else who may need it. We’re not trying to turn you into a walking, talking, unlicensed WebMD. We're hope this information will be useful and maybe even lifesaving.
