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Publication Date: 10 April 2008
ARTHRITIS CARE NEWS RELEASE (pictures available on request)
Use: before and during Arthritis Care Awareness Week 12th-18th April
Time to take your life back – that's Arthritis Care’s message to 7.8 million* people in the UK who live with chronic day-to-day pain. The 61-year old charity today marks its awareness week (12th-18th April) by launching its new Challenging Pain programme across the country.
Around half of those living with long-term pain end up losing their jobs*. It can cause insomnia, exhaustion, depression, destroy mental concentration, ruin mobility, social, family and work life, and ultimately may lead to reduced income, poverty and isolation.
'Pain is sometimes called 'the silent epidemic'. It's the main reason why people visit their GP – and arthritis is its most frequent cause. With pain being the number one reason why people call the Arthritis Care helplines, we decided to create a specific 'Challenging Pain' workshop. It addresses a wide variety of long-term conditions, equipping anyone experiencing pain with skills and techniques to combat their symptoms’, said Rachel Gondwe, Arthritis Care’s head of training.
Arthritis Care pioneered American style self-management training in the UK during the 1990s, and Challenging Pain was developed from its successful Challenging Arthritis course.
'Anyone can sign up for Challenging Pain. It’s available across the UK and is totally free to participants. Employers can run it in the workplace for workers, or primary care trusts commission it for patients. The course was developed and piloted in collaboration with pain management specialists, and it's designed to complement not replace the care people receive from their health professionals', said Rachel Gondwe.
Challenging Pain was piloted and road-tested in Devon, and it was exported to Australia by Arthritis Care in February 2008. The charity decided to ‘roll it out ‘across the UK during Arthritis Care Awareness Week because the week’s self-management theme, ‘Time to Take Your Life Back’, perfectly described the workshop’s purpose.
'I saw an ad for a ‘Challenging Pain’ workshop in my free local paper. The timing was ideal because I was feeling very down. I've been active all my life, but the pain from osteoarthritis in my knee was preventing me walking far, and from doing my usual activities, and this had resulted in my putting on weight', said Mrs Erilys Smith, who did the CP course in Cornwall in September 2007.
'We were shown many useful techniques, which were easy and effective. The whole workshop helped me a great deal, talking to others who were in the same boat as me, learning how to manage my negativity, how to deal with stress, and to pace myself to prevent tiredness', she said.
'Following the workshop I continued at home using the Exercise Handout we were given. The exercises were not too strenuous, and I could do many sitting in a chair watching television. I found that my whole body was feeling better - my health and well being had improved', said Mrs Smith.
'The exercises had helped especially to keep the muscles strengthened around the joint. The physiotherapists told me to tell other people that Challenging Pain was a first-rate service which could be of benefit to many people in pain, and to many like me who were waiting for joint replacement surgery', she added.
‘Pain has a huge impact on your well-being and ability to work. If you can control pain, you really can reclaim huge parts of your life. The Challenging Pain course reduces the fear, anger and frustration that pain often causes; it helps you to think about your pain differently, and to be more confident in your ability to perform daily activities. You learn new techniques for dealing with pain, and discover better ways of communicating your needs to your family, friends and your doctor. Many participants report that they are able to think more positively about the future and to plan ahead after doing the course,' said Gondwe.
To book a free place on a Challenging Pain workshop in your city or nearest town, or for more information about arranging it for employees in your business, please contact Rachel Gondwe 0207 380 6564
*British Pain Society figures
Notes to Editors
For more info and quotes from case studies: http://edit.arthritiscare.org.uk/Microsites/aaw
Interviewees:
Rachel Gondwe, head of training at Arthritis Care 0207 380 6564 rachelg@arthritiscare.org.uk
'Challenging Pain' :
England
Janet Cowlard, South-West, (based in Plymouth) 01752 480364 janetc@arthritiscare.org.uk Janet wrote the manual for the Challenging Pain course, conducted the pilot workshop[s and evaluations in Devon, and exported the course to Australia in February 2008.
Nina Fry,
Somerset; Bristol; Oxon; Berks; Hants; Wilts, Glos; Channel Islands
0145 8440 943
Gillian Piggott Beds, Bucks, and Herts 01234 344 070 (Mon only: mobile: 07798572082)
Tony Murray, North England (based in Wakefield) 01924 882 150
Northern Ireland
Linda Clements 0289448 1380 / 07748645937 (Based in Belfast)
Scotland
Ian Darling, Training Services Manager North & East Scotland (Based NE Fife)
iand@arthritiscare.org.uk 01382 541 102 / 07721642724
Lynn Kalman, Training Services Manager, South & West Scotland 01896 833977 (based in Innerleithan Peebleshire)
Wales
01239 711883 Peter Johnson PeterJ@arthritiscare.org.uk
For Arthritis Care offices and spokesmen in your area:
Arthritis Care in Northern Ireland 028 9448 1380 - director Kate Fleck
Arthritis Care in Scotland 0141 954 7776 - director Angela Donaldson
Arthritis Care in Wales 01239 711883 - director Peter Johnson
Arthritis Care Central England 01159525522 - John McGregor
Arthritis Care in North England 01924 882150 - David Blythe
Arthritis Care in South England 0207 380 6509 - Pippa Nelson
The Arthritis Care website offers free downloadable resources, including booklets on arthritis conditions; diet; exercise; surgery; coping with pain; drugs & complementary therapy; there are also discussion forums in which people with arthritis can chat and swap experiences.
Arthritis Care's FREE confidential helpline 0808 800 4050 open 10am-4pm weekdays
Arthritis is the UK’s biggest single cause of physical disability, affecting around nine million people of all ages, including 12,000 children. Founded in 1947, Arthritis Care is the UK’s largest voluntary organisation committed to supporting people with arthritis, and it actively campaigns locally, nationally, and internationally for people with the condition in any of its 200 forms.
