Take ACTION for Psoriatic Disease

“Part Of the Cool Club”

Living with psoriasis as a child is no walk in the park, but Colette Eide has the right attitude to get her through.

Hear from our Portland Take ACTION Ambassadors, Kathryn and Colette Eide! Read their full story at National Psoriasis Foundation's Advance Online.

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When Kathryn Eide noticed that her daughter Colette had small lesions on her skin, she knew exactly what it was: psoriasis. While Kathryn herself doesn’t live with psoriasis, growing up it was ever present. Her grandfather, her aunt, and her cousins all live with psoriasis. 

​It took several doctors, over a year, and a lot of advocating on behalf of her daughter for them to finally get an official diagnosis. Colette’s primary care provider shared Kathryn’s relief at getting a diagnosis, and her frustration that it took so long. Now, Kathryn suspects her son has psoriasis too and has begun the fight all over again. “Sometimes the flare-ups are so bad that the kids, they're crying, they can't sleep [because] their skin hurts,” says Kathryn. 

A Positive Mindset 

Kathryn says that her daughter has taken the news of her psoriasis diagnosis quite well. “She's like, ‘I get to be part of this club, and this is so cool,’” says Kathryn. However, Colette is still coming to grips with the fact that she will live with psoriasis for the rest of her life. It’s a difficult realization for anyone, let alone a seven-year-old.  

Finding a Community 

Last year, before Colette’s official diagnosis, Kathryn was doing some research online and discovered the National Psoriasis Foundation’s Our Spot for Youth and Parents, a place for information on psoriatic disease specifically in children and young people. She requested the Our Spot Welcome Kit, a physical kit (for those in the U.S.) with age-appropriate information and tools to help learn about the disease, explore treatment options for children, and hear from parents and kids who have been through this before.  

Soon after, Kathryn noticed an email about one of NPF’s Take ACTION for Psoriatic Disease events taking place nearby at the Oregon Zoo in Portland. She knew she had to take Colette. They enjoyed the event and the opportunity to explore the zoo after. Colette even got her face painted to match her leopard stuffy, who was also in attendance. Even more than that, they appreciated the community that they were welcomed into. “Even though we were fighting for [an official diagnosis for Colette], it's like, OK, but there are these people who understand,” says Kathryn.  

At this year’s Take ACTION event, not only will they be coming with the whole family, but they will also be speaking about their experiences and how NPF has made an impact on their lives. “Growing up, I didn't know anybody else who had psoriasis except for my immediate family,” says Kathryn. “It's nice to not feel so alone.”