Lorem ipsum comes from the Latin, “dolorem ipsum”, meaning “pain itself”, which is a feeling that people living with Parkinson’s know all too well. Designers, creatives and web architects see the phrase every day. Few would be aware of its meaning. Now they will be.

In recognition of World Parkinson Day and Parkinson’s Awareness Month, Wunderman Thompson Australia and Parkinson’s NSW have created Parkipsum’s – a Lorem Ipsum generator. The tool, which was launched on World Parkinson’s Day, changes the usual Lorem Ipsum dummy text to a variation that sheds light on the little-known symptoms of Parkinson’s, while also raising the importance of being aware of changes within yourself and others to increase early detection. It is hoped that the online generator will reach a younger audience, as many see Parkinson’s as a disease that only affects the elderly, when in fact, there are over 40,000 people under the age of 50 living with Parkinson’s according to Parkinson’s NSW.

Simon Langley, national chief creative officer at Wunderman Thompson, explained, “Other then a tremor, many people don’t know what the symptoms of Parkinson’s are, causing many late diagnoses. And although there is no cure for Parkinson’s, early detection can mean a better quality of life. We hope this is something the creative industry can support and help spread the word on early detection.”

Jo-Anne Reeves, chief executive officer of Parkinson’s NSW, stated, “Parkinson’s is a complex and misunderstood disease often associated mainly with older people.  That is not the case. Moreover, diagnosis of Parkinson’s is difficult because there is no known cause and it has around 50 symptoms. Building awareness across all age groups and highlighting the lesser-known symptoms of Parkinson’s is important for early diagnosis and treatment – resulting in a better quality of life and less impact on relationships and opportunities for community engagement. Parkipsum’s is an elegant solution to this communications challenge and we are delighted by the creativity and combination of skills offered by Wunderman Thompson.”

Creative businesses can help. By implement the Parkipsum’s generator for the month of April, and beyond, they can spread the word about these little-known symptoms. The generator can be found on the Parkipsum’s website here.

Credits

Agency: Wunderman Thompson

National Chief Creative Officer: Simon Langley

Creatives: Kat Thomas & Nick Doring

Digital Design Director: Dena Taiebat

UI Creative: Marvin Cheung

Senior Front End Developer: Joe Campbell

Partner: Ana Lynch

Engagement Manager: Rebekah O’Grady

Client: Parkinson’s NSW 

Chief Executive Officer: Jo-Anne Reeves

Marketing & Digital Manager: Mirelle Brockett