Category Archives: Events

World Arthritis Day

World Arthritis Day 2019

Join the Community, Expand the Movement
Although arthritis is one of the most common diseases in the world, most people haven’t heard much about it. Or they don’t know what it really is or how it affects those who live with it. In a Harris Poll of 2,000 adults in the U.S. on behalf of the Arthritis Foundation, only 7% of them knew that arthritis is the country’s #1 cause of disability. A whopping 85% said the disease needs more attention.

As someone who lives with arthritis every day, you can help elevate arthritis awareness on Oct. 12 — World Arthritis Day. While arthritis is 24/7/365, this is a special day to remember the disease’s far-reaching impact. Continue reading World Arthritis Day 2019

2019 Evening of Honors: Best of the Best Among Arthritis Volunteers

The 2019 Live Yes! Conference of Champions, Sept. 13-15, sparked conversation, learning and celebration. Many Arthritis Warriors joined top volunteers, partners and other supporters of the arthritis movement to move our crucial work ahead. Ultimately, this ongoing work will help even more people with arthritis live their best life.

As a highlight of the conference, the Arthritis Foundation’s 2019 Evening of Honors was held in Atlanta on Sept. 13. There, we recognized Champions of Yes who have demonstrated what’s possible. The special evening was hosted for the second year in a row by Pete Scalia, co-anchor of WBNC 10TV’s “This Morning” news program in Columbus, Ohio. Pete has been very open about living with RA and highly engaged in local Arthritis Foundation activities. Continue reading 2019 Evening of Honors: Best of the Best Among Arthritis Volunteers

evening of honors

2018 Evening of Honors: Paying Tribute to Top Supporters

pete scaliaAn annual highlight of the Arthritis Foundation’s Conference of Champions is our Evening of Honors – a time when we celebrate outstanding achievements of our most engaged volunteers and partners.

This year’s ceremony was hosted by Pete Scalia, co-anchor of WBNS 10TV’s “This Morning” news program in Columbus, Ohio. Diagnosed with severe rheumatoid arthritis at age 30, Pete has been very open about the challenges of living with RA and is actively involved with the Arthritis Foundation.

Continue reading 2018 Evening of Honors: Paying Tribute to Top Supporters

conference of champions

2018 Conference of Champions: Moving the Movement Forward

This weekend, the Arthritis Foundation’s most engaged volunteers from around the country are gathering in Baltimore’s East Harbor for the 2018 Conference of Champions. This annual national event is where hundreds of volunteers – joined by other committed Foundation partners and staff – network with each other, share ideas and get energized around plans that will help more people with arthritis live their best life.

Kicking off the conference is Rob Wicall, former San Antonio Spurs Coyote Mascot and chair of that market’s local leadership board for the Arthritis Foundation. Rob will share his own outlook about making others happy and how to convince them that they really can make a difference. We’ll also explore how data collection is helping shape local programs and services for people with arthritis through the new Live Yes! Arthritis Network.

Continue reading 2018 Conference of Champions: Moving the Movement Forward

acr 2018

ACR 2018 Sessions Include Drug Pricing, OA Treatments, Diet as Therapy

The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) reports there were currently 15,000 attendees representing 106 countries at the 2018 Annual Meeting in Chicago and more than 3,000 abstracts on exhibit. Also on tap: session after session highlighting the newest research and filling in information gaps, and the Arthritis Foundation’s Patient Reps are hard at work going to them and reporting back with their findings and impressions.   

Donna Dernier attended a session called “Mechanics of PBMs and Patient Access to Medications.” PBMs, which stands for Pharmacy Benefit Managers, are the groups that work between drug manufacturers and health insurance plans that decide which drugs are in the plans’ formulary, how much they will cost and who will have access. “They are totally opaque, powerful, they use a system of rebates and fees to set the prices. They are largely unregulated,” says Dernier. Thanks to long, complicated forms that medical practices have to fill out, “Lots of practices cannot handle that workload and their patients lose out,” she says.   Continue reading ACR 2018 Sessions Include Drug Pricing, OA Treatments, Diet as Therapy

acr 2018

Patient Perspectives at the American College of Rheumatology Conference

“Patient perspective,” “patient-reported outcomes” and “shared decision making” are hot topics at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2018 Annual Meeting in Chicago. In fact, many patients – including some of the Arthritis Foundation’s patient representatives – are attending the four-day event, which highlights rheumatology developments and draws medical professionals and researchers from around the world.  

Donna Dernier, one of the Arthritis Foundation’s Patient Reps, reports that she ran into Hazel Breland, PhD, the incoming president of the Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals (AHRP), a division of the ACR. “She noticed my Patient Rep Sticker and stopped to say how glad she was to see patients involved with so many aspects of health care,” says Dernier.  

Besides attending the conference, patients are getting involved in many ways. Four patients affiliated with the Arthritis Foundation exhibited posters during the Patient Perspectives Poster session on Sunday.  

Continue reading Patient Perspectives at the American College of Rheumatology Conference