Simulating foamy urine and other useful tips!

As the creative team, part of our job is conceptualising…

…and sourcing the right kit to recreate a specific physical symptom. At the moment we are working on a chronic kidney disease programme, these sensations include swelling, cold hands, headaches and more. One of the rarer symptoms – foaming urine – is providing a particularly interesting challenge.

Here’s an excerpt from one of our lighter creative conversations!

Mark: Right, what’s the symptom?

Michelle: Foamy urine. We could try Diet coke?

Mark: What about Tango? Orangina?

Chiara: Nice, but that might be fizzy. We want foamy.

Michelle: Beer?

Mark: That would just be a tragic waste. Baking soda? With yellow food colouring? Or turmeric?

Michelle: Hmm, we don’t want to risk staining the toilet bowl.

Chiara: Or foaming toilet cleaner?

Mark: That could work…

Michelle: We could crush up a vitamin C tablet in it to give it colour?

Mark: It would look like they’ve just peed out a XXXXXXX [BRAND NAME REDACTED]

Chiara: I’ve got some, shall I try it and send a pic?

Michelle: Is it ok to send pics of your toilet to colleagues?

Mark: I’m ok if you are! Lets try it.

We study a host of diverse symptoms every day, and devise simulations that bring them to life for participants all over the world. It’s this attention to detail, and imaginative world-building, that helps  make A Life In a Day so effective.