National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day - May 12, 2009

[Adminஐﻬ]

National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day - May 12, 2009

On May 12, 2009, residents of Mountain Home will join millions of people worldwide to observe Fibromyalgia Awareness Day. Led by the National Fibromyalgia Association, the theme for this year's campaign is “Fibromyalgia Affects Everyone” and focuses on the far-reaching effects of this common, chronic pain disorder—from broken lives to the economic costs for patients and society.
An estimated 10 million men, women and children in the United States suffer from fibromyalgia, which is characterized by chronic widespread pain, multiple tender points, abnormal pain processing, sleep disturbances, and fatigue.
For those with severe symptoms, fibromyalgia can be extremely debilitating and interfere with basic daily activities.
Total healthcare costs over 12 months are about three times higher among fibromyalgia patients compared to patients without the disorder
Fibromyalgia costs the U.S. between $12-$14 billion each year

ABOUT AWARENESS DAY
In 1993, Tom Hennessy, the founder of RESCIND, INC. (Repeal Existing Stereotypes about Chronic Immunological and Neurological Diseases), designated May 12 as International Awareness Day for Chronic Immunological and Neurological Diseases (CIND). The date was chosen to memorialize the birth date of Florence Nightingale, the English army nurse who inspired the founding of the International Red Cross. Nightingale contracted a paralyzing, CIND-like illness in her mid-30s and spent the last 50 years of her life virtually bedridden. Despite her illness, she managed to found the first-ever School of Nursing. Awareness Day activities take place worldwide in an effort to increase awareness of chronic pain illnesses including fibromyalgia.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL FIBROMYALGIA ASSOCIATION:
The National Fibromyalgia Association is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to develop and execute programs dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with fibromyalgia. The NFA publishes a quarterly magazine, Fibromyalgia AWARE, and hosts an award-winning website at www.fmaware.org.

[Adminஐﻬ]

   
Get to Know Fibro on National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day on May 12, 2009   

Millions of people affected by the chronic pain disorder fibromyalgia will join together with friends and family to commemorate National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day.
For years, fibromyalgia was looked at with skepticism; some even questioned if the disorder was real. The availability of new research and the FDA approval of medications to help manage fibromyalgia have provided increased validity and attention to this debilitating disorder.

To help educate people about the disorder and encourage those living with fibromyalgia to partner with their healthcare provider to manage their symptoms, best-selling author and renowned life coach Martha Beck is speaking out about her 30-year battle with fibromyalgia as the national spokesperson for Know Fibro.

Martha spent years of her life in an endless cycle of pain, fatigue, fear, sadness and anxiety, and made countless visits to healthcare providers for blood tests, MRIs and CT scans to find out what was wrong with her. Now she hopes others will be inspired by her story and use the helpful lifestyle tools available at KnowFibro.com.

"Fibromyalgia stole many years of my life. I am hopeful that my work on the Know Fibro initiative and public recognition of National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day will help break down the barriers I faced and encourage others to address their disorder and manage their symptoms," said Beck.

Know Fibro, sponsored by the National Fibromyalgia Association and Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY), offers a wide range of useful information including a video introduction from Martha, resources and advice from leading experts, a Web site with easy-to-use tips found in a downloadable book, and FibroGuide, a symptom management program that can be personalized to meet each person's needs.

Download the Understanding Fibromyalgia fact sheet at
http://76.12.66.24/release/fibro_facts.pdf.

To learn more about Fibromyalgia Awareness Day visit the National Fibromyalgia Association Web site at
 www.fmaware.org

Download a copy of the "Get to Know Fibro" book featuring Martha Beck:
 http://www.knowfibro.com/pdf/GKFBook.pdf