Cyndi Lauper partners on 'I'm PsO Ready' psoriasis awareness campaign

Cyndi Lauper has partnered with the National Psoriasis Foundation and Novartis Pharmaceuticals on a national awareness campaign called “I’m PsO Ready,” which will focus on physical, emotional and social challenges of psoriasis.

As part of the campaign, Lauper reveals her struggle with psoriasis.

Cyndi Lauper

“My psoriasis made me want to hide, but being in the public eye, I knew I couldn’t stay inside,” Lauper said in a press release. “During performances, I have skin-colored fishnets that I wear to cover the redness and spots … I also would wear makeup to cover my skin. When I would sweat … it would make my psoriasis even worse.”

Lauper was diagnosed with psoriasis in 2010 and worked with a physician and looked at home remedies to control the condition, the release stated. Although some therapies worked temporarily, Lauper’s psoriasis conditions would return. Lauper wishes to share her story and help others: Up to 7.5 million Americans are affected by psoriasis, according to the release.

“I am usually a very vocal and open person, but I think sharing your psoriasis story is very personal and take a lot of courage. It is very easy to feel isolated,” Lauper said in the release “I want people living with the condition to understand we don’t have to be embarrassed, we don’t have to cover up and we don’t have to settle for life the way that it is.”
The I’m PsO Ready campaign is part of a larger awareness initiative called More To PsOriasis, which will also include a docu-series following people as they face daily challenges with psoriasis and updates from Lauper on lifestyle tips, psoriasis-specific events and access to patient resources, according to the release.

“Many people with psoriasis limit dating and social interaction because of their condition,” Colby Evans, MD, chair of the National Psoriasis Foundation board of the directors, said in the release. “Our hope is that I’m Pso Ready encourages and inspires people to realize that they are not alone and to help them take control of their condition.”

Reference: www.psoriasis.org