December 2025 - Social Issues - Who says chronic illness must be invisible?
Original
About the Image(s)
This is my selfie in summertime when people can see my insulin pump. I am actively challenging the social norm that says chronic illness must be invisible. And then, I move the conversation to informing people that type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease not caused by any lifestyle choices. I am happy to report that I haven't been a victim of the social stigma accompanying any type of diabetes, probably because I didn't get it until I was 23 years old. But being a child with a visible insulin pump could easily subject him or her to being treated unkindly because they are different. I've posted the original photo so you can see how I eliminated distractions while trying to emphasize the Omnipod insulin pump. Photographed with iphone and edited on computer with Photoshop. The iphone portrait mode fixed my "old" skin, so all I did to myself was brighten my eyes.
4 comments posted
Lisa Salisbury Hackley
Carole - What a great interpretation of the theme! I am very familiar with autoimmune diseases, as I have a few myself...I like the crop as it definitely removes distractions from the background and directs the viewer's focus to you and the pump. In addition to challenging the norm that chronic disease should be invisible, you look great and challenge many people's preconceived notions about what people with chronic illnesses "look like" and/or act like. As I said alongside my image, I see this theme as one where the image telling a story or sending a message is more important than the technical details. Posted: 12/10/2025 02:10:13
Carole Kropscot
Photojournalism is judged by PSA without worrying about some of the technical details of perfection. I chose to remove knobs from kitchen cabinet doors anyway! Posted: 12/10/2025 03:55:19
Bunny Laden
Terrific photo Carole. Indeed it is a social action to show your insulin pump. I liked that you removed the distractions. Your happy and energetic demeanor also challenges some stereotypes of chronic disease. The photo would be a great promo for the Diabetes Society. Thanks for sharing.
Posted: 12/14/2025 03:18:35
Ally Green
I like photojournalism and this is a perfect example...it tells a story. You have drawn attention to 'chronic illness' with this image. And you do look well and great catchlight in your eyes! Nicely done. Posted: 12/15/2025 16:57:21
