Why we do it

Multimedia Art to Raise Awareness for Neurological Diseases

Movement for Hope seeks to utilise two of the most innovative, creative, and evolving fields in the world to raise awareness and support for neurological diseases and disorders whilst highlighting the progressive scope of multimedia art…so, why do we do it?

The Facts:

Neurological conditions are a leading cause of disability in the world
Over an estimated 1 billion people worldwide are affected by neurological disease and disorders
Over 6.8 million die every year as a result of neurological diseases and disorders
European economic cost of neurological diseases are estimated to be over 139 billion euros.
As many as 9 out of 10 people suffering from epilepsy in Africa go untreated
10 million people in the United Kingdom alone suffer from neurological conditions
Approximately 50 people are diagnosed every hour in the United Kingdom
Over 8 million people in the United Kingdom are affected by neurological conditions and manage tasks
Over 1 million people in the United Kingdom are disabled by neurological conditions
600,000 people in the United Kingdom are newly diagnosed each year
Approximately 350,000 people in the United Kingdom require daily assistance
Approximately 200,000 children have an acquired brain injury
Approximately 25% of people between 16 and 64 years of age suffer from a chronic neurological disability
Approximately 33% of disabled people living in residential care (nursing homes) have a neurological condition
17% of consultations with a medical practitioner are a result of neurological symptoms
10% of emergency visits to hospital are for neurological complications
19% of hospital admissions require a neurologist or neurosurgeon to treat the neurological condition.
Approximately 850,000 people in the United Kingdom are carers of someone with a neurological condition.
Neurological diseases and disorders affect people of all ages
The impact of neurological disorders requires urgent attention in both developed and developing countries.

*These numbers are rising.

The Short Answer:

Neurological diseases are a leading cause of disability in the world affecting people of all ages. Movement for Hope builds local and international collaborations between artists, scientists and awareness advocates because these collaborations are important for addressing stigma, discrimination and raising social and professional awareness. We use multimedia art to do this because the arts are a powerful means of reaching a broader audience to communicate a message of awareness, evoke emotion, initiate understanding of problems and generate solutions for change. Multimedia art is particularly useful in grabbing the attention of those unassociated with these conditions. Movement for Hope creates these projects with the intention of generating funds charities aiding neurological conditions. Our target funding areas for these charities are research, education, and equipment purchases such as wheelchairs. Charities that aid neurological conditions are an important part of bridging the gap between diagnosis and support.

The Long Answer:

There are hundreds of neurological diseases which result from damage to the brain, spinal cord or nerves throughout the body after illness or injury. Some of the most prevalent neurological conditions are amongst the leading causes of disability and death in the world such as ischemia and Alzheimer’s disease according to the World Health Organization (2008 statistics). They affect all ages and often disrupt daily functioning or may even be fatal in some cases.

There are rarely studies done quantifying neurological disease statistics due to the vast differences and prevalence rates amongst neurological diseases, however a study published in Brain reported an incidence rate of 100,230 cases in which the public reported the onset of a neurological disease or disorder in the city of London alone. The highest reported age band for its prevalence was between ages 30-39. Due to the quantity of different neurological disease types, prevalence rates and aetiologies, most people know someone with a neurological disease or disorder. For some neurological diseases, such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, in which 90% of the disease population have a sporadic form, usually after age 40, almost no one can confirm that they are exempt from the onset of the disease. When considering the uncertainty of how environmental factors might interact incorrectly with our genes, we all have a duty to consider how neurological diseases and disorders affect our society.

The UK National Audit Office (NAO) 2011 report health services for neurological disease conditions are not up to par. The NAO criticised the Department of Health National Service Framework for Long-term Conditions, which aimed to provide better access to health services for people with neurological conditions, reporting the Department’s long-term strategies lacked incentive to improve the provision of health services for these conditions. The NAO further stated several issues that needed addressing by the Department of Health. These issues included: (i) Lack of patient follow-up after diagnosis; the NAO reported several instances in which patients were not given information regarding their condition, nor local services available to help them; (ii) Lack of organisation and responsibility for ongoing patient care; the NAO reported a trend of patients perusing an external recommendation to the hospital for treatment, only to be discharged and referred to the hospital again at a later date; and (iii) Poor coordination between health care and social services; the NAO reported a fallen number of physically disabled patients lacking the receipt of social services due to a lack of eligibility. This recent report marks the significance of the role neurological disease charities we advocate and support have. These charities bridge the gap between hospital care and services available. There is an urgent need for support for neurological conditions.

Moreover, with regard to connections between art and science, neurological diseases and disorders surround our everyday lives, similarly to how multimedia art surrounds us in our daily lives. Evolving discoveries of neurological disease mechanisms is ever changing, just as multimedia art is. The interaction between chemicals in our brains and how these processes move and manifest in our conscious lives is largely unknown, however art can affect our mood and maybe some cases how we might heal, or come to terms with our conditions. Furthermore, multimedia art shapes a dynamic form of communicating a message, idea, purpose or emotion by incorporating several art forms into one, and generating its own unique genre. It is a great resource to raise awareness and support for the equally evolving field of neuroscience, specifically neurological diseases. Overall, neurological diseases readily affect not only the productivity of our society, but also threaten our wellbeing, health and the health of the next generation. It is everyone’s concern and a movement together is our hope.

For more detail on each component (i.e. neurological diseases and multimedia art), please click on the links below:

Donate
Collaborate
Advocate
Connect