British artist (with psoriasis) explores skin and body image issues

Rhonda Fenwick, a British artist who has had psoriasis since childhood, explores issues of skin and body image in her multimedia work, which includes assemblages, camera, installations, film and text. Her work, which also includes interactive artistic events with psoriasis patients and with school children, has received funding from the (UK) Psoriasis Association. She writes:

Through my skin I have lived and dreamed a life from the inside out; I learn to conceal. I am wrapped and contained from head to toe, enclosed and separated from what is me and what is not me. A boundary between two worlds, a shattered shelter containing my identity, vulnerable, exposed, yet always changing. Every day it sheds its memories of changes, texture, scent, temperature and colour.

You can read more and see sample stills and an excerpt of one of her films at Rhonda Fenwick's website.

Election sends psoriasis advocates back to Congress

While Washington, DC is still evaluating the Congressional changes made by the voters on election day, the good news is that the leading Congressional advocates for psoriasis patients will be returning to the new Congress, although some of the election-produced changes create uncertainty for the psoriasis community.

All four past winners of Psoriasis Cure Now's Health Care Advocate of the Year honors will be back in Congress in January. Rep. Ralph Regula of Ohio, a 2005 winner who has supported strong language urging the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to invest more resources in psoriasis research, easily won reelection, but will no longer be Chairman of the key House Appropriations Subcommittee that writes the NIH budget. That loss is offset, however, since another 2005 winner, Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, won her race and will now be a senior member of the new Majority. Rep. DeLauro has been a powerful voice for psoriasis patients. The third 2005 winner, Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, was not up for reelection this year, but will no longer be Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee that writes the NIH budget. The Senator is the leading advocate of NIH in Congress, and has backed strong language supporting psoriasis research.

The 2006 Congressional winner, Rep. Jim Gerlach of Pennsylvania, was written off by the pundits months ago but in fact won his race, by a single percentage point. (He won by 1%, and 2% of his constituents have psoriasis, but we're not suggesting anything....) He is the author of the strongest Congressional Resolution in support of psoriasis research.

Anyone reading this who has relationships or ties to any Members of Congress, particularly the incoming members, is urged to contact us so we can make sure these lawmakers understand the importance of increasing psoriasis research. The road to additional treatments and a cure for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis passes through Washington.

Heart risk factors prevalent in psoriasis patients

The news in this Reuters article was widely reported several weeks ago, but this is an excellent summary of the study's findings:

Psoriasis sufferers have an increased frequency of a variety of cardiovascular risk factors including diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, elevated blood cholesterol levels, and smoking, results of a study confirm.

In particular, the current results suggest that psoriasis is associated with key components of the metabolic syndrome -- a clustering of heart risk factors -- and that this association is stronger in cases of severe psoriasis.

This finding is important, say the investigators, given that individuals with as few as one or two metabolic syndrome risk factors are at heightened risk for death due to cardiovascular disease.

"Our other studies suggest that, independent of other risk factors, severe psoriasis itself may be a risk factor for heart attack," Dr. Joel M. Gelfand from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia told Reuters Health.

While certainly not good news, it might help us get the attention of Congress and the National Institutes of Health.