Why You Should Care About Arthritis
Are you aware that today nearly 46 million people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with arthritis or chronic joint pain? On average, that is about one in five people who are suffering from pain due to arthritis at this moment.
If you happen to be one of the fortunate who is not currently suffering from arthritis, don't think it is not affecting you.
Arthritis costs the U.S. economy $128 billion annually. That is not a mistake. The cost to our country due to arthritis is in the billions of dollars each year.
Arthritis is the nation's #1 cause of disability.
We are all affected by arthritis.
Kids Have Arthritis Too!
It isn't limited to those that are older. Arthritis affects all ages.
Imagine kids who are not able to put on their clothes in the morning without help. Imagine children who have difficulty holding a pencil to take a test at school. Unfortunately, these struggles are a reality for many kids.
There are nearly 300,000 children in America with some form of arthritis or rheumatic disease.
Ways to Help Fight Arthritis
- Participate in an Arthritis Walk in Your Area
- Be an Arthritis Advocate
- Be an Arthritis Foundation Volunteer
- Participate in a Jingle Bell Run/Walk in Your Area
- Join the Joints in Motion team and Run/Walk a Marathon
- Sponsor an Arthritis Fundraising Event
Books on Living With Arthritis
Celebrate Life: New Attitudes For Living With Chronic Illness
Amazon Price: (as of 11/09/2009) 
Treatment for juvenile chronic arthritis: Information leaflet
Amazon Price: (as of 11/09/2009)
The Arthritis Foundation's Guide to Pain Management: Natural and Medical Therapies
Amazon Price: $24.95 (as of 11/09/2009)
Participate in an Arthritis Walk in Your Area
Each year the Arthritis Foundation hosts hundreds of walks across the country to prevent, control and cure arthritis.You can choose between a 3-mile and a 1-mile walk. Some of the walk events are set up to be dog friendly (because animals can suffer from arthritis as well).
Honor a person you know with arthritis by participating with the Arthritis Walk in your area. Get your friends and coworkers involved as well. You will make new friends and have fun while working to eliminate the #1 cause of disability.
Go to http://www.arthritis.org/events/arthritiswalk/ to find an Arthritis Walk event near you.
How Will Your Donation Help the Arthritis Foundation in its Mission?
Below are some examples of what you could make happen with your generous donation to the Arthritis Foundation.
Consider making a difference by donating to the Arthritis Foundation at the Fredericksburg Arthritis Walk website.
- If you raise or donate $50 you could provide... A month's supply of literature to a doctor who treats patients with arthritis.
- If you raise or donate $75 you could provide... Copies of Arthritis Today Newly Diagnosed magazine to local health care offices for new patients.
- If you raise or donate $150 you could... Send a child with arthritis and their family to the JA mini weekend to learn about their disease and network with other families.
- If you raise or donate $200 you could... Set up a health fair booth at a local event or company health expo to build awareness in a community.
- If you raise or donate $300 you could... Provide a Patient Education board stocked with brochures and an educational poster for a local rheumatologists office.
- If you raise or donate $500 you could... Send a Virginia Advocate to the National Arthritis Foundation Advocacy Summit in Washington, D.C. to meet with their Congressional leaders about the Arthritis Prevention, Control and Cure Act on Capitol Hill.
- If you raise or donate $25-$500 you could... Help provide grants to cover medicines, durable medical goods, Arthritis Foundation Life Improvement class fees or physical therapy for someone diagnosed with arthritis.
- If you raise or donate $1,000 you could... Send a family with a child with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis to the national Juvenile Arthritis conference.
Great Arthritis Stuff on CafePress
Blog Posts on the Arthritis Walk
From Technorati.com
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byBecome an Arthritis Advocate
Go to http://arthritis.org/advocacy and sign up as an Arthritis Advocate today and learn about the different ways you can get involved as an advocate.Make sure your Senators and U.S. Representatives know that their support toward fighting arthritis is important to you. Ask them to cosponsor the Arthritis Prevention Control and Cure Act.
There is also an Advocacy Summit that is scheduled each year to prepare and help advocates meet their Members of Congress (and staff) to share personal stories of how arthritis has affected him or her and request support for arthritis intiatives.
Consider making a difference by being an active Arthritis Advocate.
Be an Arthritis Foundation Volunteer
I have personally performed a variety of tasks for them, so I know there is one or more ways you can contribute as well. What are some of the ways I have contributed? Here is just a partial list:
- Led committees and fundraising events
- Distributed fliers
- Trained volunteers
- Set up and manned Arthritis Foundation tables at community service and health events
- Stuffed envelopes
- Entertained kids at Arthritis Foundation workshops
- Wrote promotional materials
These are just some examples that I have personal experience in doing. There are many other ways. Go to http://arthritis.org/resources/Volunteer/ to learn more about how to use your time, experiences and skills.
If the thought of helping to fight arthritis is not enough of a reason for you to consider volunteering, read the following articles to learn about other benefits you can receive:
Give some of your time to support the Arthritis Foundation. You will be glad you did.
Participate in a Jingle Bell Run/Walk in Your Area
The Jingle Bell Run Walk is held across the US during the months of November and December.
Get in the holiday spirit and run or walk the 5K course.
Imagine the festive sound of the jingle bells during the run/walk letting others know you are supporting the fight against arthritis.
Go to http://www.arthritis.org/events/getinvolved/jbr.asp to learn more and to find a Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis near you.
About Arthritis
From arthritis.about.com
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byJoin the Joints in Motion Team and Run/Walk a Marathon
For a Serious Challenge
Have you ever dreamed of participating in a marathon or half-marathon? There is no time like the present to make your dream a reality!Join the Arthritis Foundation's Joints in Motion team.
For the Arthritis Foundation, you will raise funds and awareness to fight arthritis. They will train you to run or walk in a marathon and send you to a terrific location to participate in a marathon event.
The training program is designed for all ages and fitness levels.
There are no more excuses left. Get started today on your marathon training and fundraising.
Go to http://www.arthritis.org/events/jointsinmotion/ to read all of the details.
Arthritis Links
- Arthritis Foundation Home Page
- Get Arthritis information here
- About.com Site for Arthritis
- Another great resource for arthritis information. Also has a forum and chat group that are very supportive and positive for those dealing with arthritis.
- National Arthritis Walk Website
- Find an Arthritis Walk in your area
- Official Fredericksburg Arthritis Walk Website
- Sign up your Fredericksburg-area team here
- Fredericksburg Arthritis Walk Blog
- All about the Arthritis Walk in Fredericksburg, Virginia
Reader Feedback
Please share your thoughts. Share your arthritis story, let me know other ways to fight arthritis, or comment about this lens.
eccles1 wrote...
giving up sugar drinking more water and eating more greens helps Arthritis
Posted September 21, 2008
mts1 wrote...
Great lens - 5 stars from me! Lots of info on how and why to get involved!
Posted August 18, 2008
Silver_Lotus wrote...
5 star lens! Lots of good information. I've added this to the lensroll for my 2 lenses about arthritis, here and here.
Posted August 11, 2008
Arthritis is really a pain in the....uh....legs. But I guess I have more than arthritis coz right now, it hurts so much than before and they call it gout! I hate it when I can't get to walk even just a few meters. If ever I need to go shopping, I go online. Why, I even purchased my personalized Microsoft Money checks online but it's a blessing in disguise, really. I've saved some tiring time doing shopping and when I bought my checks online, they gave me 50% discount! Now, I'm more than thankful to come across this site of yours! Now, I know how to get rid of my arthritis the soonest possible time- online shopping! thanks again!
Posted June 19, 2008
krisManuel wrote...
Hey there Roger, great tips! thanks for sharing. 5-stars from me.
If you have time, stop by my lens Your Health and Freedom
Posted December 16, 2007
by rogercarr
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