A number of Isle of Wight businesses and landmarks are set to light up purple later this month in a show of support for people living with a debilitating health condition.
Red Funnel Ferries, Shanklin Theatre and the Victoria Lodge Hotel, also in Shanklin, are all understood to be taking part in PoTS Awareness Day on Sunday 25th October, helping to shine a spotlight on Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS).
The annual awareness day, organised by charity PoTS UK, sees buildings and landmarks across the country illuminated in purple to raise awareness of the often misunderstood condition.
PoTS is a chronic condition affecting the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary bodily functions including heart rate and blood pressure.
For those living with the condition, something as simple as standing up can cause a significant increase in heart rate, resulting in symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue, palpitations, headaches, nausea and fainting.
In severe cases, sufferers can find themselves unable to work, attend school or carry out everyday activities, with some requiring wheelchairs or becoming bedbound.
According to PoTS UK, the condition is estimated to affect around 0.2% of the population, but awareness remains limited among both the public and healthcare professionals.
The charity says the average time taken to receive a diagnosis in the UK is 7 years, with many patients initially having their symptoms incorrectly attributed to anxiety or other conditions.
PoTS can affect people of any age, although it most commonly develops in young adulthood. It can also be associated with other conditions, including Long COVID, chronic fatigue syndrome and autoimmune conditions.
October is Dysautonomia Awareness Month, with PoTS UK using the occasion to encourage greater understanding of conditions affecting the autonomic nervous system.
The charity’s first dedicated awareness day was held in 2019 and has since grown into a nationwide campaign.
Last year, more than 60 buildings, monuments, bridges, piers, cathedrals and churches across the UK were illuminated purple in support of the cause.
This year’s event will see the Isle of Wight joining the national effort, with Red Funnel, Shanklin Theatre and the Victoria Lodge Hotel among those understood to be showing their support.
PoTS UK is also encouraging people to get involved by sharing information on social media, displaying awareness materials and helping to spread the word about the condition.
The charity works to improve access to healthcare for those living with PoTS, raise awareness among medical professionals and the wider public, and support research into the causes and treatment of the condition.
Those wishing to find out more about PoTS, access support or contribute to the charity’s work can visit www.potsuk.org.
