Help millions of people live with less pain and fund groundbreaking research to discover a cure for this devastating disease.
Creating a Joint-Friendly Workspace
By Rebecca Gillett, MS OTR/L - Live Yes! With Arthritis Podcast Co-Host As things begin to open back up and some of us return to the office for work, you may need to re-evaluate your workspace. Listen to the latest episode of the Live Yes! With Arthritis podcast to learn strategies to keep your joints healthy at work. Happy Summer! It feels good to kick off the summer — knowing that maybe we can enjoy some of the things we missed pre-pandemic for those who are now fully vaccinated and feel ready to do so. I know it might still be uncertain or ...more
Men in Chronic Pain
Chronic arthritis pain hurts. It impacts nearly every aspect of life, from sleep to work to relationships. During the past year, more than one-third of people with arthritis stopped visiting their doctor out of fear of contracting COVID-19. That hiatus from treatment only made chronic pain worse. This June, during Men’s Health Month, we’re focused on helping people with arthritis take back control of their mental and physical health by teaching them when and how to ask for help with pain. Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Alan Beyer is taking part in this mission to tackle the pain and stigma surrounding arthritis. For ...more
Turning Aspirations into Goals
By Julie Eller, co-host of the Live Yes! With Arthritis Podcast In the latest episode of the Live Yes! With Arthritis podcast, Rebecca and I had a great discussion with Dr. Dawn Eckhoff, a nationally certified telehealth provider and educator by the Center for Telehealth Innovation, Education & Research (C-TIER) at Old Dominion University. Her research focus is on goal setting & telehealth, and she joined us to discuss the art of goal setting in managing the chronic pain of arthritis. In my job, I have the pleasure of talking with patients about what matters most to them in their care & how the healthcare system can improve to be more conducive ...more
May 2021 Arthritis News Roundup
May has been a busy month for arthritis-related news and COVID updates that affect people with arthritis. Here’s a wrap-up of the headlines from this past month. Taking Action For Better Access Biologic drugs and therapies can slow the progression of arthritis and allow patients to improve quality of life but, too often, those therapies are rendered useless when insurance plans strip physicians of the ability to prescribe the most appropriate treatment without first forcing patients to try the therapies preferred by the insurance companies – a process known as “step therapy.” In a new op-ed for The Hill, American College of Rheumatology President Dr. David ...more
My Rheumatoid Arthritis Journey to Wellness and Empowerment
By Amye Leong, MBA, President & CEO, Healthy Motivation Asian Pacific American Heritage Month has taught me that I am not alone! I am Asian, a fourth generation Chinese American, and I have rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis and related diseases affect people of all ages and ethnicities, but we of Asian backgrounds have historically tended to keep our pain and disability to ourselves. After being diagnosed at age 18 and crippled in a wheelchair by age 24, my American, independent side said, “Enough! Time to get serious about finding the best treatments for me.” Even though the Arthritis Foundation has been helping ...more
The First Wealth is Health
By Julie Eller, co-host of the Live Yes! With Arthritis Podcast In the latest episode of the Live Yes! With Arthritis podcast, Rebecca and I had the pleasure of chatting with Natalie Dattilo, PhD, a clinical health psychologist and the Director of Psychology Services at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. We got to ask Dr. Dattilo about the relationship between body image, self-esteem and arthritis — and ways that we can shift our perspectives of our arthritic bodies. In my teenage years, I remember walking along the boardwalk at the Jersey Shore, where I spent many summer days soaking up the sun and ...more
Fighting Three Life-threatening Conditions, Skylar Is a True Inspiration
On World Lupus Day, we want to share this young Hawaiian woman’s story about battling lupus and how her positive outlook has helped in her journey — and maybe can help in yours. Skylar Soares is an ambitious, enthusiastic and inspiring young woman who wears many hats. In 2013, at age 12, Skylar became a budding fashion designer who was named the Small Business Hawaii Entrepreneur of the Year. Fast forward to today. Now, she’s a sophomore at Boston University, on her way to pursuing a doctorate in psychiatry. How time flies. Along the way, Skylar, now 19, has also worn the hat ...more
Sharing Arthritis Patient COVID-19 Experiences
By Rebecca Gillett, MS OTR/L - Live Yes! With Arthritis Podcast Co-Host It has been a really hard year. We have all dealt with increased stress and anxiety over the fear of the unknown when it comes to the pandemic and COVID-19. We have spent so much time washing hands, social distancing and wearing masks to keep from contracting and spreading COVID-19, learning a little more as we moved along the way. For those of us living with arthritis, the fear has been palpable and has surrounded every aspect of our daily lives. Since before it was even called a “pandemic,” I had spent my days gathering as much information as possible to help disseminate it to our arthritis ...more