Here I am again! Comments on Arthritis Awareness Week

[lorann]

Hi to all this lovely, blistery, humid Summer afternoon!

I have been receiving several posts on Facebook regarding Awareness Week, and several topics of recommendation. So I have "shared" them to my timeline, usually added commentary on how so important it is that the general public needs to be better educated regarding all the various types of Arthritis and how they affect us. Afraid I can get carried away with my "soapbox" speaking on behalf of all of us!

Education is the key to winning this fight! We must support Research as much as we possibly can! Look at what Research has accomplished just in the last few years and especially in the last 10 years. Those of you, more recently diagnosed, being granted "permission" to receive the Biologics,will never have to know the damage and disability and handicaps, and the PAIN that comes along with RA and Inflammatory Arthritis of any type, not being recognized and diagnosed and treated properly!

Ever since I first received Methotrexate tablets, and things began to change, I started to say, how unfortunate I did not receive this treatment years before. After my second spine surgery, for degenerative arthritis, ruptured disc and spinal stenosis, then the surgeon says, :It could be Psoriatic Arthritis, but he didn't think that affected the spine. Guess they have discovered that since, it sure as the devil does!! But still, I was not treated for it until 1984. Then it was Prednisone injections. Have been on MTX since 1994, I think.

Educating the general public is a big task. How do we go about doing that? Your posters are a beginning. Year-round, monthly Support Groups, is the best way to reach the newly diagnosed, as well as us oldies. That takes cooperation with a hospital, to donate time on a specific day of the month, for the meeting. Though there have been support groups holding meetings at churches, Library, wherever in your town there is space for a group.

Advertising!! Posters again, at the markets, where everybody shops for food. And at Pharmacies. And, short paragraphs in the local newspaper announcing the formation of a group, about a week before the meeting date. Any earlier, people will forget it!

I started my Arthritis/Fibromyalgia Education and Support Group after I became disabled and unable to work at my career, back in November, 1996. Still going on. I keep a list of Professional people who deal with patients with these diseases. Then ask one to speak at a meeting, usually try to give them most of a month to prepare. Some choose no prep at all.

Oh my lord, I have made this one long enough!!

Anyways, all on facebook know the UK is promoting Arthritis Awareness and are encouraged to follow the posts. Have a great weekend! Loret xxx

[magglen]

I have not heard anything about RA awareness week on the radio or in the media so there is still a very long way to go. Rather disappointing. x

[lorann in reply to magglen]

It sure is! Best we can do is aim at improving exposure next year!

[Andrew-NRAS in reply to magglen]

Hi magglen, we have featured in quite a few media outlets including several local newspapers / radio stations and a couple of national papers. We also featured in many healthcare professional magazines where it is equally as important to spread our message. We will naturally learn from what we have done this year and use that to improve what we do next year, although it is also important to note that we do this with an extremely limited budget.

[sylvi]

Lovely blog Loretta.xxx