Jameisha Prescod is a filmmaker and journalist, who also happens to live with a chronic illness. She brought all these things together in her digital space for documenting and sharing life with chronic illness, You Look Okay To Me, as a place for people to connect, share stories, get help and generally just feel less alone. I called her up on her lunch break at the BBC to find out how she got started, what sickness and seeking a diagnosis has taught her, and how she balances her creative work with the demands of an often unpredictable and uncomfortable illness to contend with.
Things we talk about in this episode:
- Jameisha’s video creation process
- The realities of living with a chronic illness, and the importance of awareness
- Jameisha’s experience of getting a diagnosis of Lupus
- The pros and cons of being your own “google doctor”
- Racism and conscious/unconscious bias in the health care system
- How colonialism still shapes medical bias
- How to advocate for yourself when seeking a diagnosis when you’re not being heard
- The strength of online support communities
- How You Look Okay To Me came about
- How Jameisha stays connected to her drive to create dispute illness
- How chronic illness can shape your career for better and worse
- The pitfalls and benefits of being honest and vulnerable about your health online
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Website – You Look Okay To Me
- Instagram – @youlookokaytome
- Twitter – @YouLookOkayToMe
- Youtube
- Jameisha’s personal Instagram
- Jameisha’s personal Twitter
- Lupus
- POTS
- Benenden Health Insurance
- My new 15 Minute Magic Program
- My Twitter – @meandorla
- My Instagram – @me_and_orla
