What to include in your "story" when pitching a reporter
One day, while building a deck for a client at their residence,Deering was informed that if he had any questions, the man of the housewould be coming home to nap that afternoon: he had chronic fatiguesyndrome.
“I made disparaging remarks in my own head,” Deering said. “Chronic fatigue. Right. He’s just lazy.”
Little did he know, however, that it would be a day he wouldn’t soon forget.
“That image popped up again 10 years later when I was diagnosed with CFS,” he said."
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Do you want to keep reading? Most of us probably would, because most of us like personal 'stories,' or what the media calls "human interest." What happened next to Bob Deering? What happened to his life?
This is an excerpt from an article that appeared November 14, 2009 in the San Diego News Network, "Chronic Fatigue patients fight 'lazy' label, support awareness.
I've been fortunate to have worked with the leading advocates and nonprofits dedicated to creating awareness of these chronic pain illnesses. But, time and time again, reporters are first and foremost interested in the personal patient stories as a way of mentioning the work that patients do for these remarkable organizations.
So, before you pitch a reporter, make sure to include the following information as part of your "patient story:"
- Former or present occupation
- Symptoms or trigger event leading up to diagnosis
- Number of doctors or medical professionals visited to get a diagnosis
- Year correctly diagnosed
- Reaction of family, friends, employer to diagnosis
- How has the diagnosis affected/changed your life?
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Tags: Whittemore Peterson Institute Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC K. Kimberly McCleary multiple sclerosis Bob Deering CFIDS science disability Epstein-Barr virus lupus fibromyalgia Mexican Hairless Xolo CFS flu XMRV SDNN University of Nevada in Reno Nancy Gordon myalgic encephalomyelitis chronic fatigue syndrome chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome
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