When I first joined A Life in a Day in February this year, I came with a genuine passion to learn about and advocate for rare, hidden and misunderstood conditions, using design and creativity as a powerful tool. As someone living with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a rare, chronic condition, I have always made it my prerogative to build awareness about the lesser-known conditions wherever I can. I am so grateful to have joined such an important company as their first junior digital designer.
Six Months In: What I’ve Enjoyed Most
From my first meeting, I was warmly welcomed into the creative team and was so inspired to begin my journey here at A Life in a Day. I have always been encouraged to engage in workshops and contribute ideas to help the team create the most effective experiences possible to tell patients’ stories. By week two, I was down in London meeting the team which timed perfectly as I became involved straight away.
Over the past six months, I’ve had the opportunity to work across a wide variety of projects, each one encouraging me to grow in skill and confidence as a designer. From developing physical kit items to producing animations, videos, and audio content, I’ve been able to explore multiple creative formats whilst working across multiple therapy areas.
Beyond Expectations
Joining as a designer, I hadn’t anticipated the versatility of the role, and I have loved dabbling in all the different areas that make A Life in a Day so special. I’ve been lucky enough to participate in patient interviews, helped with onboarding videos, joined post-debrief calls where I was able to hear feedback firsthand from clients, all whilst designing new kit items. Every day is different and in these past six months I have learnt so much both personally and professionally and gained a plethora of new skills that I cannot wait to continue to build.
‘AHA’ – My standout moment.
Just short of a month after my first day, I went through my first full, 24-hour experience. Though I had seen areas of development, made kit items myself and knew of the process, I was not fully prepared for the impact the experience would have on me. From a professional perspective, seeing how all the elements worked so coherently was so fascinating and highlighted how the work I would be doing would integrate into the experiences. It was as though any missing pieces of my ALIAD puzzle finally pieced together and I understood exactly what was being achieved through our experiences. On a personal note, it was so powerful and moved me in such a unique way.
Where Passion Meets Purpose
I’m excited to continue to build my portfolio of kit items and content for the experiences, whilst becoming more aware of patients’ own experiences with their conditions. I feel genuinely lucky to have such an important role where I can grow as a designer whilst contributing to work that makes a meaningful difference. I take pride in being a part of a team and company whose work has such a positive impact on the lives of patients, especially when I know from my own experiences how hard it can be to have others advocate for you.
The past six months have gone so quickly but have been packed full of learning, designing and new experiences. I have a lot of gratitude to have found a position that aligns so closely with the values I hold and share, where I am able to use my passion for design to create purposeful work. I look forward to the next months and hopefully years where I can continue to push myself and learn from the incredible people around me.
