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Richmond disability charity set to 'Shine a Light' on invisible illnesses

You don’t have to suffer in secrecy or in silence. That’s the advice of Dave Thomson, the Richmond Centre for Disability’s (RCD) community outreach coordinator, ahead of his charity’s ninth annual nod to raising awareness of invisible illnesses.
RCD
RCD staff, including Dave Thomson (left), are getting ready to host "Shine a Light" on Saturday, an event to help those with so-called invisible illnesses. Alan Campbell file photo

You don’t have to suffer in secrecy or in silence.

That’s the advice of Dave Thomson, the Richmond Centre for Disability’s (RCD) community outreach coordinator, ahead of his charity’s ninth annual nod to raising awareness of invisible illnesses.

Help is out there, said Thomson, with a great deal of advice, techniques and tricks being packaged into one afternoon, this Saturday, called “Shine a Light,” being hosted at RCD’s Lansdowne Shopping Centre office.

The theme this year will be centred around the isolation of chronic illness and being able to communicate with people the scale of pain you’re going through at any given time.

“I’ve realized, through my own chronic condition, that it’s very helpful to have four or five things in the same place. I like to make sure they go home with a handful of stuff,” said Thomson.

“We will have five zones (at the event) and we will have lots of gadgets for people to try as well, such as a weighted blanket.

“It’s wonderful, it gives the feeling of being hugged and is very, very comforting.”

Now in its ninth year, Thomson said the event is as important as ever, given the incidents of invisible illnesses increasing.

“Just look at PTSD diagnoses, for example. And the isolation is one of the big things that hit you first,” he added.

“When it happened to me, I was 35, but I felt like I was 75.”

Thomson said there’s no set time for any of what’s on offer this Saturday, with the event running from 1 to 4:30 p.m and door prizes for those who register ahead of time at Events.themighty.com/events/details/the-mighty-mighty-events-in-canada-presents-shine-a-light-for-invisible-illness-and-disability-awareness-fest-1.

Anyone needing assistance from their vehicle should contact dave@rcdrichmond.org ahead of the event.