Sticky Note Challenge
For this month’s Storytelling with Data Sticky Note Challenge, I am “sticking” with Cole’s suggestion to use the low tech sticky note method to brainstorm and align ideas along the narrative arc. The next step will be to edit and narrow the focus. The narrative arc method was taught at Cole’s workshop. I created a new set of sticky notes (pictured above) that I added to a notebook page from Cole’s workshop.
In addition, the more linear path I took was:
Hypothesis > Data > Analysis > Findings
Form a hypothesis (What I asked: Is this a problem/crisis?)
Look at the data (What do the numbers show?)
Do the Analysis (What I did: How did I apply the data to the question).
Report the Findings (What I found: The data proves it is a problem).
Next step: Bring it all together including building data visualizations that communicate the facts clearly.
Warning: The images shown below are graphic.
This is the story about a little boy named Clovis and the danger of snake bites in remote areas of the world. My friend, Dr. Pat Rees, is a volunteer surgeon, who helped Clovis. She shared this story and set of photos to help raise awareness of the need for more medical clinics in remote areas of the world.
The Plot
The Problem: Snake Bite Deaths
According to IHME, The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, "In conflict zones like South Sudan and Central African Republic, MSF (Doctors Without Borders) treats more people affected by snakebite than landmine injuries," said Dr. Gabriel Alcoba, one of the study's authors and a doctor with Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and Geneva University Hospitals (HUG).” Read more here.
The personal story: Clovis
Clovis, a young boy living in a remote area of Burundi, is bitten by a snake.
Rising Action
The facts/data overview:
93 million people are vulnerable to death from snake bites.
The story continues …
Clovis is taken to a witch doctor for treatment, since no medical clinics are located where he lives.
Climax/Tension
Focused and convincing data to establish need:
Other research concludes that an estimated 5 million people are bitten every year by poisonous snakes, and about 125,000 of them die. As a result, it is one of the most burdensome neglected tropical diseases.
“In spite of the numbers, snakebites received relatively limited global attention,” said Professor Simon Hay, Director of Geospatial Science at IHME.”
The story continues …
Clovis’s arm becomes infected after the witch doctor applies snake ashes to the wound.
Falling Action
Drilldown to data: Number of deaths and amputations due to snakebites.
The story continues …
Clovis is transported to a medical clinic hours away and must face surgery.
Ending Resolution
Call to action: Raise awareness of need for more medical clinics and accessibility for treatment.
Every year, an estimated 2.7 million people are bitten by venomous snakes, resulting in death for more than 100,000 people and life-long disfigurement and disability for 400,000 more.
"Children are particularly vulnerable to death and disability from snake bite poisoning due to their small body mass."
The story concludes …
It was necessary to amputate Clovis’s hand, but the good news is that his life was saved.
““However, the vast majority of snakebite victims are unable to access affordable and effective treatment.””
”An ambitious, multifaceted approach is urgently needed to tackle this neglected health crisis. We work with governments, treatment providers, donors and communities affected by snakebite, amongst many others, to try to bring about real change for snakebite victims everywhere. We are calling for:
Access to affordable, good quality antivenom to be urgently scaled up.
Increased resources from governments and donors to tackle snakebite, including for new tools such as new generation antivenoms.
Better data on the true incidence and distribution of snakebite in order to deliver the right treatments in the right places.
Improved training of healthcare professionals and increased investment for community awareness of snakebite first aid and prevention.”
Visit Doctors Without Borders to find out more information about how you can get involved in ending this crisis.
