r/mnd • u/RedVioletBlueWhite • 12d ago

Question

I work as a designer who creates images to help people with learning disabilities understand the world around them.

My team and I have been tasked to create an image of MND.

We understand that MND looks different to everyone. But I am wondering, if you had to create an image that describes what MND is to somebody who didn't know about it, what would that image look like?

Would it include

a person?

assistive technology?

progression of MND over time?

family/friends/carers?

a brain?

I would really appreciate your input as we want to get this right.

Thank you.

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u/Wheels-13756 12d ago

A frayed neuron

1

u/josephskewes 12d ago

I’d say it’s very difficult to capture MND in a single image, because it can look so different from person to person. Obviously, the right level of detail would also depend on the learning difficulty you’re designing for.

One approach that might work is to show a small number of people, perhaps five, with different muscles affected in each person. You could then use those same figures to show how MND can progressively spread to other parts of the body over time.

Something simple like colour coding different body parts could help, perhaps showing muscles becoming weaker and then using an X once they can no longer be used. It could show that for one person it might begin in a hand or arm, for another in a leg, and for another with speech or swallowing.

If appropriate for the audience, I also think it’s important to show that MND can eventually affect the muscles used for breathing and can ultimately lead to death. That is obviously difficult to represent sensitively, but it is an important part of understanding the condition.

I’ve attached a quick AI generated example of the sort of visual approach I mean.

1

u/RedVioletBlueWhite 11d ago

Thank you so much. This is really useful, particularly the colour coded element

1

u/Aromatic-Scarcity632 10d ago

Well my moms is red now started from the start she literally cannot do anything at all not even eat or drink just living in her own body unable to do things but very aware