8,250 Canadians will be diagnosed with arthritis this September

TORONTO / August 29, 2007: September is Arthritis Awareness Month and everyday 275 more Canadians will be diagnosed with arthritis; adding up to a million Canadians in the next decade.

Arthritis is not just about getting old. In fact, arthritis is a debilitating disease that already affects almost 4.5 million Canadians, including baby-boomers and children. It can strike anyone, anytime, anywhere. We are all at risk.

Below are some highlights of what The Arthritis Society is doing for Arthritis Awareness Month in 2007:

• The Arthritis Suit Tour:   The Arthritis Society is conducting a cross-country tour with this specially designed suit to proactively create awareness and education of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the many services offered by The Society to support these individuals. The Society is inviting politicians and media to “try arthritis on for size”. The suit consists of coveralls, gloves, a collar and boots with Velcro bindings and laces that allow them to be fitted to the wearer’s body size. Each joint can be restricted to simulate a “flare” or attack of RA. 

• The Lifestyle Makeover Challenge: The goal of the Challenge is to help participants develop healthier habits for life so Canadians can delay the onset and reduce the pain and stiffness of osteoarthritis (OA). It begins as a four-week program; participants can join at any time and are supported with exercise and nutrition suggestions, an activity tracker, contract, monthly e-newsletters, and an on-line discussion board. The first 5,000 people who sign up for the Lifestyle Makeover Challenge will receive a free Thera-Band in their welcome kit to help them get their joints moving right away.

• Arthritis Research Matching Donation Program: During Arthritis Awareness Month, Canadians who donate online can double their donation dollars, as Pfizer Canada Inc. will match all donations up to $25,000. To donate Canadians can visit www.arthritis.ca.

• The Arthritis Pain Management Diary: a downloadable PDF document designed to help Canadians with arthritis communicate their treatments, medications and reactions with the various members of their healthcare team – available at www.arthritis.ca/paindiary

• The latest news from The Arthritis Society’s Research and Career Development Program will be released.

• Local events and public information forums will take place in communities across Canada.

For more information on what is happening during Arthritis Awareness Month in your area, please call 1-800-321-1433 to reach your provincial Arthritis Society office, or visit our website at www.arthritis.ca

About The Arthritis Society
The Arthritis Society is Canada’s principal not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing and promoting arthritis education, community support and research-based solutions, to the nearly 4.5 million Canadians living with arthritis. Since its inception in 1948, The Society has contributed more than $150 million towards arthritis research to develop better treatments and ultimately, to find a cure for this debilitating disease.

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This page was last reviewed/updated on : 12/20/2007