More than 100 guests will attend the premiere showing of Fibromyalgia: Fitting the Pieces Together 5:45 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14, at the Townsend Hotel, 100 Townsend, Birmingham. The event also honors professionals committed to helping patients manage the pain of fibromyalgia. The event is presented by Helping our Pain and Exhaustion, Inc. (H.O.P.E), a nonprofit support group for those suffering with fibromyalgia.
The elegant gathering provides the opportunity to educate and create much needed awareness about fibromyalgia, a chronic pain disorder characterized by widespread pain and a variety of other symptoms including fatigue, sleep disorders, problems with cognitive functioning, irritable bowel syndrome, and anxiety. This condition affects an estimated 10 million people in the U.S. Severe cases can be extremely debilitating and interfere with basic daily activities. Frequently, access to treatments can be an additional challenge for those suffering with Fibromyalgia because it is often not properly diagnosed as a legitimate medical condition.
"We're ready to showcase the premiere of Fibromyalgia: Fitting the Pieces Together," said Sharon Ostalecki, Ph.D. Executive Director of H.O.P.E and author of two books on Fibromyalgia. "Patients suffering from Fibromyalgia deserve to be better educated regarding the disease itself and effective self-management techniques. They have the right to access all available treatment options. My sincere hope is that this event will help dispel the myths, inspire guests and create a more compassionate society equipped with a better understanding of this debilitating condition. This event will also honor those who have made a vital difference."
Honorees at the event committed to helping patients manage the pain of Fibromyalgia include Ananias Diokno, M.D., executive vice president and chief medical officer, William Beaumont Hospital; Martin Tamler, M.D., program director Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Residency, William Beaumont Hospital and Daniel Clauw, M.D., director, Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center, University of Michigan Hospital. Lila Lazarus of FOX 2 Detroit will receive a Media Advocacy Award. Linda Ann Chomin, health reporter of the Observer & Eccentric Newspapers, receives an Excellence in Community Awareness Award.
Tickets still available for $125 each. Dinner and drinks included. Black tie optional. For more information, call Sharon Ostalecki at (248) 344-0896 or e-mail
smo23915@aol.com. Copies of the documentary will be available following the event or by going to hffcf.org.