Continuing with our December Story of the Month,  we're revisiting narratives till year's end that focus on trauma being a driver for persistent pain. In this extraordinary, long-format story, woman in pain Heather Grace shares how she braved the chaos of her childhood, often serving as the only barrier between her "monster" and other family members. Through her "hellscape", she maintained a strong sense of self-belief, persistence and defiance that helped her overcome the darkness. Though saddled with EDS and CRPS, Heather is regaining wholeness, piece by piece, while focusing on “the bright spots, instead of the rain.” We strongly recommend you read and share Heather’s  heartbreaking and, ultimately, triumphant story. You'll be glad you did!

For Grace leaders John Garrett and Cynthia Toussaint will discuss the neuropathic pain experience on a "KNOWvember" Twitter chat hosted by US Pain Foundation tomorrow, November 30th at 4pm PST (7pm EST.) Joining Pain Specialist Dr. Peter Abaci and Pain Advocate Karen Duffy, John and Cynthia will share coping  strategies, innovative treatments and self-care techniques to live fully despite this most challenging type of pain. Join them with your questions and comments!

In 2022, For Grace will spotlight stories in three different areas of interest for our ongoing Share Your Story Project - (1) women in pain who've experienced gender bias in their pain care, (2) men and women who've experienced both pain and cancer and (3) men and women who've experienced trauma that lead to illness including chronic pain. If you've got a story that matches one or more of these profiles, please submit it and have your voice heard! Together, we heal...

As part of US Pain Foundation's KNOWvember campaign to raise awareness of neuropathic pain, For Grace founder Cynthia Toussaint shares her near 40 year journey with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. Featured along with Dr. Peter Abaci, Toussaint tells how this confounding  disease, characterized by intense burning pain, radically changed her life at 21 years of age - and  that for years doctors dismissed her complaints as "all in her head." She caps the piece with why she started For Grace,  stating "I didn't want what happened to me to happen to anyone else."