Talking with the Right Audience

A health condition or disease often receives attention only after a public figure is diagnosed with the condition. Attention to DVT came in April 2003 when war correspondent David Bloom was traveling in Iraq. A fatal pulmonary embolism struck the NBC News correspondent as a complication of deep-vein thrombosis. Bloom's wife, Melanie Bloom, has taken up the cause of DVT prevention and early diagnosis by becoming the national spokesperson for the Coalition to Prevent DVT. Actress and singer Lainie Kazan, who developed deep-vein thrombosis while recovering from a broken foot, has also lent her name to the coalition's awareness activities.

But you don't have to have someone famous at your presentation to get the public to listen to the message about deep-vein thrombosis. Anyone who has experienced a DVT who can tell a compelling story will help engage your audience. Personal stories reach out to everyone: older adults, the general public and professionals.