"I went through a whole year of not drawing because my hands shook too much"
It all begins with an idea.
When I began About M.E. I was very determined to hire and work with more people with chronic/invisible illnesses and disabilities. It’s been a learning curve, to say the least, but I am so proud to have found Sirius O'Reilly. Sirius was recommended to me and diagnosed with FND as well as Autism and is behind the About M.E. logo.
How long have you been a graphic designer?
I have branched more into Graphic Design since my Foundation Diploma in Art and Design 2016, where I focused more on digital art. I have been illustrating as a hobbyist since I was 6, and have had the pleasure in the past few years to produce Graphical Designs for commercial businesses.
What inspired you to do it?
Graphic Design is a wonderful combination of artistic expression and practical function. I was first given the opportunity to design a logo by a childhood friend, who needed someone who was 'good at art'. They remembered my passion for art, so they got in touch, and I was happy to use my skills to help.
How do you overcome a creative block?
I switch up my medium. I give a new crochet project a go or spend time writing, I channel my creativity in a different way to think about ideas differently, eventually, I'll get back on track!
What advice would you give to someone who has an illness/disability and how to follow their passion?
Be you, do what makes you happy. No one can put a limit on your capabilities, only you can decide that for yourself. The only person you should compare yourself to is your past self, and always your past self will be proud of how far you have come.
I went through a whole year of not drawing because my hands shook too much with an Essential Tremor to draw lines straight, so I watched videos, brushed up on new ideas and skills, and spent my creativity writing/typing. But always keeping those new ideas in my head. When I felt ready to pick up the pen again I had material to focus on, I started small, but most importantly I enjoyed what I was doing.
Written by: Sirius O’Reilly
Work With US
It all begins with an idea.
Hello,
Thank you for stopping by to About M.E. I wanted to share my goals and vision with you.
I want to be able to hire and work with people with disabilities, invisible illnesses, chronic warriors as well as awesome freelancers.
So if you have any of the following skills please share your portfolio, your hourly/day rate, and availability to: careers@aboutme.group
Copywriters write monthly blog posts regarding About M.E. progress and internal news.
Guest writers to share their experiences about living with an invisible/chronic illness and disability.
Social Media Manager
App Developer (Android and iOS)
Work Experience - we will match projects to where you want to be in your future role
Anything you think we are missing? If you are selling products or trying to navigate through an invisible illness we are interested in hearing from you, just let us know what your skillset is or where you would like to be.
Introduction
It all begins with an idea.
***Disclaimer*** I am not a medical professional or a pain management specialist.
What is About M.E.
Hello, and welcome to About M.E. you may have seen a LinkedIn post, TikTok video or Instagram story related to this new adventure. I’m here to introduce you to raising awareness about invisible illnesses. In 2020 during the pandemic I was diagnosed with something called FND (Functional Neurological Disorder).
It was a diagnosis and a link to a website and I was told I would be fine within a few weeks and to just simply get on with it. My Neurologist said I just needed to be more positive along with other “specialists”.
Accepting a long-term condition
Fast forward to January 2021, I realised no one was coming to save me, nor giving me a magical cure, and I was sick of feeling sorry for myself. At this point I wanted to find what worked for me and how I could best manage my symptoms and pain.
I found support within communities who were facing similar experiences, and had been exploring different methods of coping with pain. It was a challenging experience and I faced many personal and professional battles but here we are today.
Managing Pain
I wanted to create something that could help fellow chronic pain sufferers and to what has helped me make a 70% recovery.
So About M.E. is a one-stop-shop to help fellow chronic warriors with pain management, a clothing line to support with daily prejudice we may face, monthly self-care boxes, an app to manage/track your pain.
So thank you for your support so far, whether I know you or not.
Thank you,