This week a self-penned feature on Maria Shriver's Sunday Paper by For Grace Founder Cynthia Toussaint explores childhood trauma and family dysfunction as the driver for pain and chronic illness.  In this stirring, thought-provoking article and photo essay under the Architects of Change section, Cynthia shares how being at death's door with breast cancer woke her to the reality that trauma keeps the score in body and mind - and that one needs to take action to survive, which includes updating lifestyle choices and, in extreme cases, estranging from toxic family members.

Summer ends strong as For Grace celebrates 21 years of sponsoring a California resolution that proclaims September as Pain Awareness Month and the 1st as Women In Pain Awareness Day. Authored for the fourth-year-in-a-row by Senator Maria Elena Durazo, SR 125 brings critical awareness of pain as a major public health concern along  with the plight of women in pain and their challenge to receive early diagnosis and effective pain management to Golden State lawmakers. Thank you, Senator Durazo, and your amazing staffer, Fernando Rameriz. Bravo!

While For Grace celebrates September as Pain Awareness Month, we continue our series of stories that focuses on the intersection of chronic pain and social isolation. After a family health event, Dana Gambill's idyllic early life came to an abrupt end, ultimately sending her to the safety and isolation of her bedroom. In her adult years, after developing CRPS and substance abuse, she cut herself off from people again. It was her love of nature  and a Higher Power that convinced her to reconnect - and with that, came new realizations that have led to healing and hope.

It's been one of those years! As women in pain can relate, sometimes if it ain't one thing, it's another - and so it is here at For Grace as the health challenges keep rolling on. Starting with a  wicked flu-like virus that upended For Grace leadership in the spring, then first-time COVID in June, later evolving into Long-COVID, August has brought Founder Cynthia Toussaint the worst case of shingles (with its epic, unrelenting nerve pain) her doctors have ever seen. Our efforts have slowed, but the good work goes on. We at For Grace encourage women in pain to get informed about the shingles vaccine, and if it's right for you, get the shot posthaste. Stay well!