Today is the international day of persons with disabilities. According to WHO about 15% of the world’s population lives with some form of disability, of whom 2-4% experience significant difficulties in functioning. This figure is increasing through population growth and the aging process. A significant part of people with limited abilities is those who have lost or are born without limbs. WHO also estimates that only 1 in 10 people in need has access to assistive products, including prostheses and orthoses.
The Red Line Foundation provides assistance to people who, for various reasons, cannot afford prosthetics. However, during our work, we have discovered that patients often experience difficulties in order to seek help from other people. That’s why we would like to share tips and recommendations for those who decided to apply for financial support for medical purposes via the Internet.
The first thing to understand: it’s important not how many people see your ad, but so that it reaches those who can potentially help. Therefore, in advance, you need to determine the sites for posting information. When publishing on sites like gofundme.com, make sure your ad is in the right category. Decide in advance which keywords to use. This will help charities find your appeal through search engines.
We understand that in a difficult life situation it is hard to avoid emotions, but texts that provide clear and objective information with figures and facts work much better. The announcement must contain: name, age, diagnosis, and photo of the person who needs help. It is important to explain why this treatment is necessary and how it will affect a person’s life. Let people know in plain language how the disease has affected your everyday life. After all, other people do not always understand the difficulties that you had to face.
It is also important to indicate the amount of money you need that can be proved by the hospital in which you plan to undergo treatment. Your goal is not just to find empathy, but to get a specific tangible result.
One of the most common problems that we had to deal with is the inability to reach the contact person. If you really intend to help your friend or relative to raise money for the necessary operation, take the time to check your email and monitor the relevance of the information in the ad. Before helping, people and organizations sometimes check the case and the lack of response will make them doubt the reliability of the data on the site. If the fundraising has already been completed or the situation has changed, quickly remove the ad so you won`t mislead people.
Be prepared for the fact that public fundraising will require to share your story with others. You will have to bring into sharp focus yourself, your family because you ask for the support of people who have never seen you and do not know you. But there is nothing embarrassing in asking for help, often this solution is the most effective way to solve a problem that is difficult to handle alone. You probably never thought about this, but there are many people and organizations who want to help people for free, and for them it is very important.