Help millions of people live with less pain and fund groundbreaking research to discover a cure for this devastating disease.
Daily Dose – Arthritis Foundation Patient Partners Perspective
The Patient Voice in Action November 13, 2019 Today during #ACR19, our Patient Partners were able to see why having the opportunity to provide patient input can make a difference. Here’s the daily dose of what they learned as the meeting wraps up today & why it matters for people with arthritis. Patient Engagement in New OA Guidelines New draft guidelines for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) were released and discussed during a presentation today. I appreciated the ACR partnering with the Arthritis Foundation to provide patient input in this process. Although I was not one of the patients on the task force, I ...more
Finding Her Light Within
Yoga Helped Eugenia Esquivel Cope With RA. Now She Teaches Others How It Can Restore Every Body. A couple dozen people in the yoga studio lie back on bolsters, their eyes closed and their arms resting loosely by their sides. “Give yourself permission to be supported,” instructor Eugenia Esquivel says gently. “Give yourself permission to rest.” Those are sentiments Eugenia takes to heart. The mindfulness she gains from yoga helps her cope with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). And the lessons she’s learned from her journey with RA shape her approach as a yoga instructor. Yoga can seem intimidating when it is portrayed by photos ...moreDaily Dose – Arthritis Foundation Patient Partners Perspective
Patient Voices that Take ACR from Theory to Reality November 12, 2019 Today during #ACR19, our Patient Partners were able to connect with rheumatologists and researchers about the ways that their stories can inform their work. Here’s the daily dose of what they learned & why it matters for people with arthritis. Perspectives on Patient Engagement in Research Patients and their caregivers are the experts in their experience – and that expertise is valuable to providers and researchers as they investigate new therapies. Today, we got to hear from excellent speakers about the value of sharing our patient perspectives – and the many ways ...moreDaily Dose – Arthritis Foundation Patient Partners Perspective
It’s been a busy time learning and listening so far for the Arthritis Foundation Patient Partners. Here’s a daily dose of what they are hearing about in all the latest research and treatments available for people with arthritis. Veteran’s Day – November 11, 2019 Arthritis in the Military Raising awareness for our veterans and military service members with osteoarthritis is important to Patient Partner Nick Steen. He shared his story at a luncheon to highlight the importance of continued research, education and advocacy for helping those who serve our country and develop osteoarthritis. “My daughter and I share our arthritis journey together. We are ...more
Raising the Patient Voice in the Military
My name is Nick Steen, I’m a military veteran, an osteoarthritis patient, and a JA Dad. This Veteran’s Day – I’m representing my family’s arthritis experience at the American College of Rheumatology’s Annual Meeting. As an Arthritis Foundation Patient Partner at the meeting, I get to teach the participants about why it is so important to listen to patient experiences in health care delivery and design. I joined the Army right out of high school in 1994. Four years later, I was honorably discharged. My time in the military gave me so much, I learned how to be a leader, how ...more
Elevating the Patient Voice
By Natalie E . Azar, MD Assistant Professor of Medicine and Rheumatology NYU Langone Medical Center It was an honor for me to speak at the Arthritis Foundation reception in Atlanta to kick off a week of learning about what’s new and happening in the world of rheumatology. One of the things I enjoy most about being a rheumatologist is developing relationships with my patients. Since rheumatic diseases can be complex and unique to each person, I spend a lot of time with my patients, over a long period of time. It’s important to me to take the time to listen to their needs. ...more
Meet Our Newest UCSF Fellow!
Because access to care is not always guaranteed, we’ve been working to help close the gap on the nation’s rheumatologist shortage through our fellowship initiative. The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) recently announced the recipient of the Arthritis Foundation’s Charles F. and Marilyn Meier Pediatric Rheumatology Fellowship fund award. This award is specifically given to pediatric fellowship students at UCSF. The 2019-2020 award goes to William D. Soulsby, III, MD. Dr. Soulsby earned his medical degree from St. Louis University School of Medicine, then completed the internship and residency programs in pediatrics at UCSF. During his residency, Dr. Soulsby’s research ...more
Personalized Care Management to Achieve Outcomes Important to Patients
Our Collaborating With Patients for Better Health science initiative has been getting more attention. The National Health Council (NHC) has asked Arthritis Foundation Senior Vice President Guy Eakin, PhD, to speak to members of the Science of Patient Engagement Symposium Planning Committee about the challenges of helping patients learn to communicate with their health care providers and become partners in the decision making process to achieve personalized care management. Dr. Eakin will speak to the group of medical, scientific and research leaders from a variety of patient advocacy organizations, nonprofit health groups and industry on October 29, 2019, at the Capital ...more