Was in Newark this afternoon and saw ads on and in a bunch of the buses and trains (Flxible Metro-Es/Nova RTSs/Arrow-IIIs for those of you who are interested in them) by the Tourette's Syndrome Association of New Jersey, with (reading the fine print) funding from a state agency...don't remember 100% but I think it was the NJ Department of Special Child Health and Early Intervention Services (something with New Jersey and Special Health in it...). The ads all said something like "Maybe it's not a nervous habit...Maybe it's a neurological disorder...Maybe it's TS" or "Maybe he can't 'just stop it'...Maybe it's a neurological disorder...Maybe it's TS", etc.
While the TSANJ is probably not going to furnish an ad for AS, seeing it got me thinking about what could happen if something like that were to be done with AS--both good and bad. Ads on mass transit seem fitting, as transportation (especially public transportation) seems to be one of the more common areas of special interest. I mean, I began thinking it would probably do a LOT to raise awareness (most people who have AS I hear find out about it in some sort of media, then got checked out...). At the same time, the copy of the text "Maybe it's not a nervous habit...maybe it's a neurological disorder" sounds almost like something that would scare people into getting tested, which probably isn't the best way to raise awareness.
Any thoughts?
09 Jun 2005, 7:27 pm
