Book Now Available
For Grace founder Cynthia Toussaint, in collaboration with national best-selling author Linden Gross, has written her book, Battle for Grace: A Memoir of Pain, Redemption and Impossible Love. This book will bring comfort and understanding to women in pain through its raw depiction of her three decade battle against pain and the healthcare system that failed her. Ultimately, it’s an inspiring story about personal transformation, impossible love and triumph of the human spirit. Battle for Grace launched on Maria Shriver's Architects of Change website on March 19th! For more information and to order book, please link HERE. / Battle for Grace makes Maria Shriver's Top Five Can't-Miss Reads / Battle for Grace Press Release

"Getting Real: Transforming Hidden Truths Into Positive Action"—September 13, 2013
This year's enlightening, empowering event will be hosted in downtown Los Angeles on Friday, September 13th! Our 2013 program will examine the unfortunate coping choices women in pain make to survive, positive options to move beyond the pain and, finally, compassion and forgiveness for others and ourselves. For more details and to register (FREE passes available!), please link HERE. See you there!

April 2013
For Grace Spokesperson Cynthia Toussaint is now a Guest Blogger on Maria Shriver's Architects of Change website. Her first article titled "Overcoming Suffering, Battling for Grace" was posted in March - and her second, titled "Words of Love", posted in April. Look for more to come...

Sacramento, CA—April 30 1:30pm Rm 4202
Testimony in support of AB 889 - Step Therapy Bill (Passed on a 15-4 vote)

March 2013
Very pleased to announce that For Grace is sponsoring a 2013 Step Therapy bill that aims to overcome barriers to pain (and all) medications here in California. We're excited to fight on with this all-important legislation! Introduced by our new Author, Assembly Member Jim Frazier, AB 889 passed by the Assembly Floor on May 29th with a 56-13 bi-partisan vote - and now to the Senate. We'll be reaching out for your letters and calls of support in the near future. In the meantime, to learn more about Step Therapy (aka, Fail First) and the bill, please link here.

Spring 2013
Our spokesperson Cynthia Toussaint was honored to contribute to Laurie Edwards' new book, In the Kingdom of the Sick: A Social History of Chronic Illness in America. This well-written, fact-laden book, complimented by compelling true-life stories, provides an excellent understanding of how chronic disease has shaped our society - and how this ever-growing community must unite in order to gain acceptance and essential rights.

November 7th, 2012
Our spokesperson, Cynthia Toussaint, has recorded her first CD - and this testament to the healing power of music therapy is dedicated to all Women In Pain. Dubbed "The Wonder Project", this nine-song collection captures the essence of the pain experience while conveying the joy of reinvention and coming out the other side to better wellness. To hear and/or order the CD, please link here. The Wonder Project Press Release

Los Angeles, CA—November 10, 2012
Presenters

Sacramento, CA—September 30th, 2012
A sad day for people with pain. Our bi-partisan supported California Fail First Bill, AB 369, was vetoed by Governor Jerry Brown. We're deeply disappointed that the Governor chose not to make a better day for the seven million people challenged by pain in the Golden State - but instead went with our opposition, the healthcare industry. Please link here to read Governor Brown's veto and here to see For Grace's response. We pledge to fight on and will sponsor a new Fail First bill in the next session. Onward and upward!

Los Angeles, CA—September 14th, 2012
This year's empowering, successful event was again held in downtown Los Angeles at the California Endowment's Center for Healthy Communities. Our 2012 theme, Finding Your Tribe, focused on chronic pain and relationships with a special emphasis on our all-important caregivers! 5 CEUs were available for Registered Nurses and For Grace gifted 50-plus scholarships to women in pain and their caregivers. Please link here for event details and a webcast replay of the entire conference. 2012 Conference Press Release Conference Video Montage

September 2012
For Grace's annual conference was spotlighted in an ABCNews.com article on Sept. 13th. Titled "Annual Women In Pain Conference Focuses on Relationships", the piece sheds light on caregiving and chronic pain. For Grace is proud to have generated, consulted and interviewed for many media stories around this empowering event.

Sacramento, CA—September 2012
Happy to announce that SCR 65 passed the California legislature on August 29th. This resolution proclaims September as Pain Awareness Month and September 14th as Women In Pain Awareness Day. We extend a heart-felt thank you to our 2012 author, Senator Carol Liu, a longtime champion for women's health rights in the Golden State. Thanks also to her amazing staff liaison, Andi Lane, who guided SCR 65 to its safe landing in the legislature!

Sacramento, CA—June 27, 2012 1:30 pm
Testimony in Support (Passed on a 5-2 vote!)

April 2, 2012
We celebrate 10 years of providing aid, comfort, education and empowerment to those challenged by chronic pain - an amazing journey that leaves us grateful and humble for the opportunity to serve such a resilient community. As we move forward, let's collectively pledge to take every action possible to achieve a better world - so that one day all of our current trials and tribulations will be but a memory. This is our dream of never again... For those we have served - and will serve - we send our love. For all those who have helped us along the way, we send boundless grace and gratitude.

Sacramento, CA—March 17-18, 2012
Presenter

February 2012
For Grace inspired, consulted and interviewed for an ABC World News with Diane Sawyer segment that focused on women being disbelieved and undertreated for their pain conditions. Headlined "Women In Pain", this piece will be picked up by all ABC affiliates in the US.

December 2011
Honored to announce that For Grace Spokesperson Cynthia Toussaint was nominated by Jane Goodall for the Los Angeles County Commission for Women's 27th Annual Woman of the Year Award. Women nominated for this prestigious award must exhibit outstanding leadership for women's rights, promote women's equality and be exemplary role models. Please link here to read some words about Cynthia and her work that Jane included in her nomination.

Sacramento, CA—December 6, 2011 1:30 pm
Testimony from the Pain Advocate's Perspective

Sacramento, CA—September 2011
Very proud to announce that For Grace has again sponsored a resolution (SCR 54) proclaiming September as Pain Awareness Month AND September 16th as Women In Pain Awareness Day here in the Golden State. We extend a heartfelt thank you to our author, California State Senator Elaine Alquist, and her wonderful staffer, Nora Lynn, for getting this resolution through in the 11th hour!

Los Angeles, CA—September 16, 2011
"Reframe Your Pain, Reclaim Your Life" was this year's theme where women in pain attendees and viewers from around the world gained insight to essential self-care tools needed to thrive with pain. For event information, please link here. 2011 Conference Press Release Webcast Replay Conference Video Montage

Los Angeles, CA—August 8, 2011 10am
Presentation about For Grace's 4th Annual Women In Pain Conference

June-August 2011
Two excellent articles ran on ABCNews.com that highlighted our 4th Annual Women In Pain Conference. The first explored the groundbreaking Institute of Medicine's report to Congress about the state of pain in America. "Nation Fails Millions of Americans in Pain" also features For Grace founder Cynthia Toussaint's remission. The August follow-up article, "Chronic Pain Is No Laughing Matter" spotlights conference presenters comedian Kathy Buckley, pain psychologist Dr. Beth Darnall and mindfulness meditation expert Dr. Marvin Belzer.

Los Angeles, CA—June 2011
Guest

Sacramento, CA—April 26, 2011 1:30 pm
Testimony in support (AB 369 passed on an 13-5 vote!)

April 2011
Get 11 great tips in an article For Grace interviewed for that's currently running on LifeScript.com, one of the world's leading websites devoted to women and health.

April 2011
Here's an article about the gender disparity in pain management that ran in the April issue of MORE magazine. For Grace inspired, consulted and interviewed for this excellent expose entitled “The Male-Female Pain Gap.”

Los Angeles, CA—February 19, 2011
Guests

Sacramento, CA—February 14, 2011
We're proud and honored to again be authored by Assembly Member Jared Huffman this year. AB 369's co-authors to date are Assembly Members Jim Beall and Mike Feuer along with Senator Fran Pavley. "Fail first", also known as Step Therapy, is an unethical prescription practice used by health insurance companies to save money at the cost of pain patients. When AB 369 is signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown, it will place ultimate power back into the hands of patient's physicians rather than their health plans when it comes to pain medications. AB 369 Press Release Update on AB 369 and Step Therapy Information

January 2011
On a trip to Tanzania, East Africa, For Grace leadership enjoyed meeting with Endulen Hospital Medical Director Dr. Joshua Benson to discuss the impact of chronic pain on their female patient population. We look forward to a continuing dialog...

Sacramento, CA—December 1, 2010
For Grace, in partnership with the Legislative Women's Caucus, convened a staff briefing to explore the possibility of replicating Oregon's Pain Management Commission in California. Presenters included For Grace spokesperson, Cynthia Toussaint, Dean Diane Hoffmann, Professor of Law at the University of Maryland, Dr. Scott Fishman, Director of Pain Management UC Davis and Jennifer Wagner, former Director of the Oregon Pain Management Commission. See briefing flyer (.pdf).

Ongoing
Please visit our YouTube site to view For Grace's most recent videos about conditions that impact women in pain. Also, we continue to add pain-related videos as they become available through YouTube and other organizations. Click here to view: youtube.com/ForGrace

Ongoing
Please check out For Grace's on-line scrapbook compliments of Flickr. We continue to spotlight significant events, women in pain stories, leadership profiles - and more! Link here to view.

Ongoing
Need that special item to empower women in pain in your community? Please visit For Grace’s WIP Awareness shop at http://www.cafepress.com/forgrace to peruse an assortment of quality items to do just the trick! (Note: no proceeds from sales go to For Grace as prices cover cost only.)