To look at medical/health problems which affect the everyday lives of many people in Britain. This will not be concentrating on rare yet devastating conditions, rather the sort of everyday, long-term problem that causes stress and discomfort to people’s lives. Taking the approach of ‘Coping with…’ The programmes will look at bereavement, MMR jabs, facial rashes, chemotherapy, high blood pressure, mouth ulcers, joint pain, severe fatigue, crohn’s disease, hair loss, chronic heartburn and insomnia.
Sticking to these subjects will mean that most people will be interested in at least one of the programmes in the series. Parents – the MMR jab, men – hair loss, older people – joint pain, etc. The programmes will work best when a reputable source is giving the advice, a doctor or actor who plays a doctor would be best. The series will concentrate on giving advice that work along side that given by GP’s therefore there will diet advice and reputable information about alternative therapies.
The series will be character driven, each week a person suffering from the above mentioned problem will give details and examples of the sort of trouble their condition causes them as well as medical information about the condition given by the presenter. Advice will then be given as to what other treatments can be tried and the sufferer in the film can then verify the effectiveness of the treatment. The emphasis in these programmes however, will be how anyone can suffer from any of these conditions; statistics will be presented as to how many people suffer from it in Britain, to keep people watching there will be advice given on how to prevent the condition arising rather than just how to treat it. In this way each programme will be relevant to everyone, as no-body wants to get ill.
Breakdown of each Programme 1. Bereavement – Focus on person who has recently suffered bereavement and has taken it badly, they give explanation of how it affects them. Traditional remedies and treatments for the problem followed by alternative therapies. 2. MMR jabs – A parent explains the dilemma they face deciding whether or not to go ahead with the MMR jab for their child. An explanation of the pros and cons of the injection followed by advice on what to do.
3. Facial rashes – Sufferer of a facial rash explains how it affects them and what they have already tried. Explanation of the causes of facial rashes followed by suggested treatments. 4. Chemotherapy – Person who has had chemotherapy explains how it has affected them and the dangers they are in due to diminished immune system. Scientific explanation of the affects and advice on how to minimise the affects. 5. High blood pressure – High blood pressure sufferer details how they are affected by their condition. Explanation of how the condition arises and what the affects can be followed by advice on what to do if you are a sufferer as well as how to avoid the condition.
6. Mouth ulcers – Mouth ulcer sufferer tells of their condition. Causes and affects are explained scientifically and then treatments are detailed. 7. Joint pain – Joint pain suffered details their problem and the affects it has on their everyday life. The causes of joint pain are explained and then preventative measures and treatments are explained. 8. Severe fatigue – Sever fatigue sufferer explains how they are affected. Causes are outlined and then advice is given on how to avoid the problem and how to cure it in sufferers.
9. Crohn’s disease – An explanation of the disease is given followed by statistics on the number of sufferers. Symptoms and affects are outlined by a sufferer before cures and preventatives are suggested. 10. Hair loss – Hair loss sufferer details how the problem has affected them, before and after picture is used to demonstrate the extent of the problem. Preventatives and cures are suggested.
11. Chronic heartburn – The causes are outlined before a sufferer tells of their problems with the condition. Preventative measures are advised as well as how to cure the problem if it arises. 12. Insomnia – A sufferer details how they are affected by the condition and tells of the traditional cures they have tried for the problem. Causes and affects are detailed before preventative measures and cures are advised. At the end of the programme contact details are given for help/support groups or advice lines that are specific for the condition in question.