There are numerous diseases that adversely affect millions of people all over the world. Medical researchers are doing their best to study these conditions and develop new treatments to help patients lead healthier lives. Unfortunately, some diseases don’t receive the attention they desperately deserve so there isn’t sufficient public support and funding for potential cures.
For instance, approximately 30,000 Americans are afflicted with cystic fibrosis, according to the American Lung Association. The disease causes mucus to build up in the lungs, pancreas and other vital organs, which can lead to infections if not treated properly. What’s more, roughly 10 million people are unaware that they carry the gene for condition, meaning that their children may develop it.
American small business owners and medical professionals should take a page from their counterparts in the United Kingdom by raising awareness for the disease. According to National Awareness Days, June 24 through the 30 is Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Week across the pond. The goal of the week is to make consumers aware of the condition and raise funds for studies on treatments and potential cures.
One way that small businesses and medical practices can raise awareness for cystic fibrosis is by distributing promotional marketing products throughout the week. Small gifts can go a long way toward informing people of this condition. The items can teach consumers how prevalent this condition is and motivate potential carriers to go get tested so they can find out whether they actually have the gene.
Below is a list of some of the promotional items that can help combat cystic fibrosis and the benefits of distributing such products throughout the next week.
The best gifts
There are many schools of thought as to what the best gifts are for generating awareness. On one hand, flashy products can be great for making a splash and ensuring that consumers actually pay attention to the cause. Alternatively, functional items may be more effective than the alternatives because the former group has everyday value that the latter completely lacks.
For functional items, many standard promotional marketing products can be used for increasing public awareness for cystic fibrosis. Medical professionals can distribute promotional pens and notepads to every patient who comes in for appointments regarding the disease. Whether a client wants a genetic screening or simply asks for further information about the disease, doctors and specialists should distribute these items so notes can be taken during the discussions. This ensures that people can refer back to important details and will be able to learn about cystic fibrosis on their own time.
Additionally, promotional calendars can be used to generate awareness for the disease all year long instead of just during the designated week. Every page can include facts about the disease and certain dates can be marked off. For instance, if a fund raiser is being held in the local area, information can be included in the calendar so consumers can find out how they can participate in such a great cause.
The benefits of promotional products
There are many reasons why small business owners and medical professionals should use promotional items to raise awareness for cystic fibrosis. To begin with, consumers usually hold on to the products for extended periods of times, which means that customers will think about the disease for longer than just seven days at the end of June.
Further, the sponsored gifts show customers that a small business or medical practice cares enough about the health of the community to bring attention to such a terrible disease. Building awareness for cystic fibrosis now can improve patients’ quality of life and may even lead to a cure in the near future.