Even as professionals, can we truly understand the daily realities faced by individuals living with obesity simply by looking at data?
This was just one of the questions explored in our recent webinar hosted by our founder, Mark Doyle, and featuring Ken Clare, Executive Director of UKCPO (UK Coalition of People Living with Obesity), and Hans-Jacob Randskov, Senior Manager Global Patient Advocacy Relations at Boehringer Ingelheim. This empathy-fueled discussion explored the value of understanding patients well beyond conventional practices in pharma and healthcare.
Bringing together patients, support groups and pharma, the conversation delved into the need for professionals working in developing treatments to cultivate a deeper empathy and why this is so critical in delivering better outcomes for all parties.
Challenging the stigma and societal misunderstandings was one key reason for bringing support groups closer into the development process of A Life in a Day’s latest experience where participants can live for 24 hours in the shoes of someone living with obesity.
Ken shared his initial skepticism towards the potential for this developing into traditional methods such as “fat suits” which would be detrimental to the experience – making a novelty out of the experience.
Ken’s compelling “fat suit” commentary sparked a fascinating discussion on how to accurately represent contributor experiences. The panel then unveiled their unique collaborative methods for developing a programme that truly captures the physical, psychological, and social realities, including the weight of stigma.
This webinar has now concluded. If you would like access to the recording, please contact us.
The conversation also delved into the impact for participants within pharma of experiencing a simulation that moves beyond data points to reveal the real-world struggle and emotional toll. Hans-Jacob highlighted how the immersive experiences has driven greater understanding within Boehringer-Ingelheim, and the changes implemented by the team as a result of understanding the condition better.
Many thanks to our panel…
Ken Clare – Executive Director of UKCPO, past Chair of ECPO and PPI/E lead at The Obesity Institute Leeds Beckett University
Ken is the Executive Director of UKCPO and a dedicated advocate for individuals living with obesity, bringing both personal experience and professional expertise to his work. He has served as Chair of the European Coalition for People Living with Obesity (ECPO) and is an Honorary Fellow of the Association for the Study of Obesity (ASO). He has held leadership roles in several UK organisations providing information support and advocacy for people living with obesity.
In his current role he leads Obesity Voices, a hub for Patient and Public Involvement initiatives at Leeds Beckett University’s Obesity Institute, emphasising the importance of patient perspectives in research and policy development.
Hans-Jacob Randskov- Senior Manager Global Patient Advocacy Relations at Boehringer Ingelheim
Hans-Jacob is a Senior Manager Global Patient Advocacy Relations at Boehringer Ingelheim. In this role, he focuses on fostering collaborations between patient communities that support patients living with Obesity and/or MASH and Boehringer. His efforts support the integration of patient perspectives into Boehringer’s key initiatives for patients living with Cardiovascular-Renal-Metabolic conditions.
Mark Doyle – Founder, A Life in a Day
Mark is the founder of A Life in a Day, an award-winning immersive experience where you become the patient and experience the challenges, choices, and impact that real patients face every day.
With a focus on helping the industry put the patient first, Mark champions the value of empathy and patient-centric working in pharmaceutical and healthcare industries to deliver better outcomes for both company and the people they serve.
