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Meet ‘The Syms’

PNH is a rare, life-threatening disease that can be difficult to diagnose, as no two patients present in quite the same way. With nine key signs and symptoms appearing in different combinations, many patients experience only two or three, making it challenging for physicians to recognise the pattern and connect the clinical clues to a PNH diagnosis.

To make this complex clinical challenge more memorable, we created The Syms – a family of nine distinctive characters, each representing one of the key signs and symptoms of PNH. By transforming complex clinical information into an engaging visual language, the characters helped healthcare professionals better recognise the many ways PNH can present.

The Syms became the foundation of the "Hiding in Plain Sight" campaign, supporting conversations around earlier recognition and referral. Used across congress communications, animation, and interactive experiences, they reinforced the importance of recognising potential symptoms sooner and referring patients to specialist treatment centres.

Telephone: +44 (0)7773718854 Email: simon@simonling.com Address: Beckenham, London, BR3