Allisa Robertson NCDFREE #TheFace Campaign Interview

Putting a face to the world's leading cause of death - a new campaign by NCDFREE, communicating the non-communicable.

NCDFREE, the Melbourne-based global social movement against Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), is launching a new, global, online and crowd-sourced campaign called The Face of NCDs.

Through an online community of stories, this online campaign will put a human face to this set of largely misunderstood diseases. NCDs include diabetes, heart disease, cancers and lung diseases – with common causes and solutions.

The campaign will use crowd sourced photos and stories from people around the world who are affected by or working to reduce NCDs. Their faces and stories will be directly shared via an interactive website and disseminated through social media channels and short film – using the hashtag #TheFace.

#TheFace will reveal the human stories – the people – behind the global and national epidemics of chronic disease, in an effort to raise awareness and support those living with an NCD. Co-founder, Dr. Alessandro Demaio explains, 'Through personal narrative and the power of people, we can start a new conversation on NCDs and show the true face of the global challenge".

The campaign will run for the month of October 2014, launching October 1.

NCDs are conditions that cannot be caught by one person from another. NCDs kill more than 36 million people each year and nearly 80% of NCD deaths occur in the world's poorest countries.

Founded by doctor/designer duo and brothers Sandro and Giuseppe Demaio in 2013, NCDFREE is proud to be partnering with Remedy Healthcare on this campaign. Remedy is a leading provider of highly targeted, evidence-based, care co-ordination, home-based rehabilitation and health coaching programs.

NCDFREE aims to change the way society perceives NCDs and inspire a new generation of young, community-level change-makers.

#TheFace campaign website: http://www.thefaceofncds.org/
NCDFREE's website: http://ncdfree.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NCDFREE
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NCDFREE

Interview with Allisa Robertson

Question: What is NCDFREE?

Allisa Robertson: NCDFREE is a global social movement against the world's leading cause of death and disability - Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) - which include heart disease, diabetes, cancer, lung disease and mental illness.


Question: Who created NCDFREE?

Allisa Robertson: NCDFREE was founded by two Melbourne brothers, Dr Alessandro and Giuseppe Demaio, a doctor and a designer. NCDFREE was launched at the Festival of Ideas in 2013 r


Question: Can you give us examples of non-communicable diseases?

Allisa Robertson: Non-communicable diseases are a group of disease that are not passed on from person to person and include heart disease, cancers, lung conditions and mental illness. These diseases share common determinants such as unhealthy diets, alcohol use, physical inactivity and tobacco use. 80% percent of diabetes and heart disease and one-third of cancers are preventable. NCDs disproportionately affect low and middle income countries and is closely linked with poverty


Question: How do you allow people with non-communicable diseases to share their story?

Allisa Robertson: Any one can upload their story about NCDs via the website http://join.thefaceofncds.org/


Question: What can you tell us about the current NCDFREE campaign, called #TheFace?

Allisa Robertson: #TheFace campaign is a crowd sourced, online community of stories and faces - it will run for the month of October. A large number of organisations have joined in to support the campaign and show a united front in tackling non-communicable diseases. Each week we are focusing on a different theme to create a bit of a journey
Week 1: People affected
Week 2: Mythbusting
Week 3: Linking risk factors and talking solutions
Week 4: People's calls to action


Question: What do you hope to achieve from #TheFace campaign throughout October?

Allisa Robertson: Through personal narrative and the power of people we aim to start a conversation on NCDs and bust the myths and misconceptions of this group of misunderstood and under-recognised diseases.


Question: What is the aim of NCDFREE?

Allisa Robertson: NCDFREE aims to bring together young change-makers from around the world in a bid to promote social and political reform in battling the Globe's greatest killer.


Question: How can Australians support #TheFace?

Allisa Robertson: Check out website and add your story http://www.thefaceofncds.org/
follow us on twitter #NCDFREE and instagram @ncdfreetv like us on facebook https://www.facebook.com/NCDFREE


Interview by Brooke Hunter