How One of Our Comic Books Helped a Teen Discover She Had VKC
In July, the Jumo Health team had the honor of attending the International Children’s Advisory Network’s (ICAN) Annual Summit as the Champion Sponsor. During the event, we had the opportunity to speak with a teenager named Muminah, who is living with vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC).
Muminah shared an incredible piece of feedback with us. After many doctor visits and several misdiagnoses, it was finally a comic we created about VKC that ultimately helped her accurately identify what was wrong with her eyes.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), vernal keratoconjunctivitis is a rare condition characterized by inflammation of the conjunctiva, the eye’s outer membrane. This inflammation can cause redness and blurred vision and, over time, may lead to a grayish discoloration of the retina. Muminah mentioned experiencing all of these symptoms. “I went home one day from school because all of my friends were asking me, “What’s wrong? Why are your eyes so red?” Their comments made her feel as though her friends only saw her eyes when they looked at her. This feeling negatively affected her self-esteem.
“I was nine years old, and I remember searching VKC and a health video came up of a comic and a boy who wanted to go outside. After watching that, it kind of made me feel like I wasn’t alone. I was like, that’s me!”
As a company, it’s incredibly fulfilling to hear how our work has a tangible impact on individuals. When Muminah shared how the comic helped her understand her condition better and feel validated in an emotional and psychological way, she underscored the importance of what we do and why.
Hearing stories like Muminah’s reinforces the dedication and care we put into every project. These moments remind us why we are so passionate about our work and its potential to make a real difference.
To hear Muminah’s story in her own words, view the video below:
Jumo Health develops age-appropriate, culturally relevant, and relatable educational resources for patients and caregivers. We have experience serving diverse populations, covering more than 160 health topics across 80+ countries in 120+ languages. Our various digital, video, and print offerings use highly visual elements and research-backed health literacy strategies to ensure that everyone can understand and act upon complex medical information. We do this through familiar mediums – from comic books and animation, to virtual reality experiences and authentic documentary-style patient stories – all customized based on audience. Jumo Health collaborates globally with more than 180 advocacy groups and community organizations to promote access and to ensure unique patient experiences are accurately represented.
