I Need A Hero

Yeah, I know, the Bonnie Tyler song is a little bit sappy. But it’s appropriate, because we all need heroes in life, people who inspire us, people whose victories we can celebrate as if, in some small way, they are our own.

Following the call for ADHD Heroes at the end of March, a group of volunteers stepped forward, inspired to help make a difference in the lives of people with ADHD and their families. Having worked alongside them, I realize that they are also ADHD Heroes and it’s been a privilege to spend time with them.

The ADHD Heroes project’s mission is to inspire and to help foster hope and courage for people living with Attention Deficit Disorder. We’ve already begun finding and capturing the exciting and untold stories of real live heroes, regular adults with ADHD who’ve achieved success in areas of their lives despite or because of their ADHD, and soon we’ll be able to share them with you and the world.

I’ve been so inspired by the courage these heroes show when they “come out” and reveal their ADHD to the world, given the unwarranted stigma still surrounding ADHD. Meeting and speaking with these amazing heroes is one of the best rewards I get participating in this project.

Marc Asselin, one of our heroes, is leading the charge on the ADHD Heroes Web site, so we will soon be able to sharing their stores with you as well. I am eagerly looking forward to announcing the Web site launch.

The Branding of a Hero

Superman wore a red, white and blue outfit (and tights, but somehow he made them look dangerous!) and had a secret identity as newspaper reporter, Clark Kent. Peter Parker, also a journalist (is there a pattern here?) was bitten by a radioactive spider and donned a mask and tight-fitting spandex, presumably to make it easier as Spiderman to swing from the spider webs he shot from his wrists. A hero is not just declared a hero; a successful hero becomes a brand, a recognizable identity that may include a name, sign, symbol, color combination or slogan.

We’ve created a team to help design the “brand” for the project. This has been challenging since none of us are branding experts (I’m not sure those long debates over whether the ADHD Hero should wear a cape were really productive!) Of course, we’re looking for volunteers willing to work cheap (anywhere between zero and free would be fine!), so if you are a branding expert or have a passion and talent for graphics, logos, and “image,” we’d love to count you as one of our heroes. Simply complete the form below…

You’re Not a Branding Expert? No Problem!

Even if you’re not a branding expert or a graphic artist, we are still looking for more ADHD Heroes who are willing to help us with interviews, videotaping of interviews (and possibly a seamstress, depending on how the debate about the cape turns out!), or if you’re an ADHDer who has experienced success in one or more areas of your life, because of or in spite of your ADHD, and you’d be willing to share your experience and pass along to a struggling ADHDer (someone who is now where you’ve been) what it took to achieve success.

What’s In It For You?

All our heroes have the opportunity to be featured, if you would like, in our Contributors’ page, with mention of your bio/expertise, where you’ve helped in the project and we’ll include links to your Web site. (This is an excellent way for an up-and-coming expert “anything” to begin to make a name for him or herself!) If you don’t have a Web site or prefer to remain anonymous, nothing beats the reward you get from that amazing feeling of pride you have knowing you’ve helped a worthy cause, and you can count on our undying admiration and gratitude.

We’ve already got promises of media attention around our launch, so we’d love to move even faster than we are, and we’d really love to have your help with this wonderful project. Will you step and be the hero we all need?

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Wanted: ADHD Heros