Wake Up Narcolepsy, a nonprofit dedicated to driving narcolepsy awareness, education, and research, premiered a new narcolepsy public service announcement in partnership with Red Square Pictures.
The informational public service announcement aims to accurately depict narcolepsy and how debilitating this rare medical disorder can be. It pulls together first-hand experiences from more than 50 individuals experiencing narcolepsy, highlighting the physical, mental, emotional, and social impacts of the disorder.
The video also brings attention to the challenges many are faced when seeking a formal diagnosis. Wake Up Narcolepsy aims to expand its reach and mission with the public service announcement, bringing greater awareness and attention to the medical condition.
“It takes incredible bravery for these individuals to share their stories and shed light on the reality of living with Narcolepsy,” says Monica Gow, co-founder and interim executive director of Wake Up Narcolepsy, in a release. “It’s our hope that this PSA will help bring about a greater public understanding of narcolepsy while also offering support to those facing this challenging diagnosis.”
Wake Up Narcolepsy announced a media partnership with Red Square Pictures last fall to benefit people living with narcolepsy. To that end, Red Square Pictures is currently developing a full-length documentary feature film.
Narcolepsy affects 1 in every 2,000 individuals with a genetic predisposition activated by an environmental trigger. Symptoms vary from individual to individual, with some cases being more severe than others. In individuals with narcolepsy, aspects of rapid eye movement sleep intrude on wakefulness while wakefulness intrudes on their sleep.
