BBC interview on lupus and the pandemic at 630 tonight on BBC look East and another interview at 7am on radio Cambridgeshire tomorrow (Tues)

[MelanieSloan]

Thanks for all the suggestions about what to include in the BBC interview. I included them all BUT it was a 20 minute interview that he's cutting down to 3 minutes so I hope he includes the important parts and it doesn't misinterpret what we want saying. He says there are two BBC lookEasts and you need to change settings to Cambridge if you're the other one but hopefully is sending me a recording which I can share on here.

The advantage is that the media is very interested in our lupus experiences and I was phoned by the BBC today to say that they would like to help us raise awareness in as many ways possible.

I'm doing an interview tomorrow morning for radio where I'll have more time to get all our points across (definitely have more of a face for radio than television - the presenter spent a long time trying to get me to adjust my camera so my 'face was the right size' I did explain that was the steroids not the camera!!).

They are also interested in interviewing a few people with lupus (for a written BBC health article on how the pandemic has affected care) from the Cambridgeshire area. Please message me if you're interested. Good to raise awareness in as many ways as possible!

Thank you

[baba]

Thank you

[svfarmer]

Brilliant x

[Insomniacette]

HERO! YAY! 👏👏👏👏👏👏

[Jhpc]

Well done Melanie for raising awareness

Good luck with your interview tomorrow x

[strawberrylips]

Hi MelanieSloan, Great awareness, good luck 👍🙏jx

[Susieliz39]

Thank you for promoting our cause, it is very much appreciated! Job well done! Look forward to hearing the recording 👏👏👏

[eekt]

...so your 'face was the right size' ! well that's a learning experience for him, straight away!...glad it went well...any chance of the full-length version appearing on youtube?

Thank you so much for being the face of lupus! xxx

[Wishie]

Look east E or W

Thanks

[Budrick]

I’d be very interested. When covid first started I said to my consultant, ‘this is autoimmune, it switches your immune system on and it doesn’t switch off’. This has obviously been so and has been fatal for so many as we all realise the impact not being able to dampen or slow down the inflammation can be! Maybe this is why lupus patients have done slightly better than expected re covid because our bodies are already in overdrive and therefore used to it. I believe I had covid December 2019, especially now we know it was already here. I experienced all of the symptoms and was ill for months. I am due to have my vaccine next week and am nervous about how this will affect my already cranky system but I don’t want to live in fear anymore, I want my life back! Anyway very interested in this interview and would like to offer something if I can. 😊

[Freckle1000]

🙂

X

Whatever happens you've put you're foot in the door to start a movement - with lots of space for more detail to follow.

[Cathyan]

Well done Melanie and thank you. Love all the comments about your face 🤣 Thank you for a little humour this morning.

[BookishVibes]

Thanks so much for doing this, you're a star!

[sarahsch]

Darn - missed this! However my local look east news on BBC breakfast has just reported that Lupus patients are struggling to access care as many Rheumatologists have been redeployed according to research from Cambridge University. Just a few mins, but they gave a brief overview of Lupus as an illness.

The ripples carry on Melanie. Thanks❤️

Sarah x