Follow For Grace’s new book, Battle for Grace, on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube!

Battle for Grace Launches on MariaShriver.com!
Shriver Chooses Battle for Grace as a Top Five Must-Read
Order Battle for Grace Now in Paperback or E-book
Battle for Grace is a gut-wrenching memoir about excruciating pain, remarkable redemption and impossible love, told warts and all by the two people who lived it. It describes a journey that took For Grace founder Cynthia Toussaint and her life partner John Garrett to depths that could have ended their lives, but instead are giving wondrous hope to millions of women around the world. Hope borne out of devastating pain that‘s been overcome by a brave love for each other and for life. For more information and to order Battle for Grace, please link HERE. / Battle for Grace Press Release

For Grace’s 6th Annual Women In Pain Conference
“Getting Real: Transforming Hidden Truths Into Positive Action”
Registration NOW open - Free Passes Available!
This year’s enlightening, empowering event will be hosted in downtown Los Angeles on Friday, September 13th! Our 2013 program will examine the coping pitfalls women in pain make to survive, positive options to move beyond the pain and, finally, compassion and forgiveness for others and ourselves. Full event details and registration are NOW available - please link HERE. See you there!

The Wonder Project Brings the Healing Power of Music to Women In Pain
Our spokesperson, Cynthia Toussaint, has recorded her first CD! This nine-song collection, titled Wonder, 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

For Grace Sponsors 2013 Step Therapy Bill!
AB 889 to be Heard in Senate Health Soon - We Need Your Support Letters Now
Very pleased to announce that For Grace is sponsoring a new 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 in February, Assembly Member Jim Frazier, AB 889 will soon be heard by the Senate Health Committee - a critical next battle. We need your letters and calls of support over the next couple of weeks! To take action and to learn more about Step Therapy (aka, Fail First) and the bill, please link here. / AB 889 Fact Sheet / For Grace AB 889 Sponsor Letter

Women In Pain Wellness Resource
101 Ideas to Empower Women In Pain to Survive & Thrive!

Advocacy Tool Kit—Women In Pain Be Heard!
Check out this great resource for ideas to get the word out about the pain gender divide

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View Our WIP Public Service Announcement
“Unsung Heroes” features actor Jack Coleman

For Grace in the News!

Spokesperson and Battle for Grace author Cynthia Toussaint penned a column about For Grace’s California bill AB 889, titled “Why Step Therapy Needs to Stop”, that’s appearing on the National Pain Report.

For Grace leaders John Garrett and Cynthia Toussaint were interviewed about their tough-as-nails pain memoir Battle for Grace May 22 on LA Talk Radio‘s The Mother Love Show.

For Grace’s new Step Therapy bill, AB 889, passed the California Assembly Health committee April 30th on a 15-4 bi-partisan vote - and the hearing was broadcast live via The California Channel.   

Ms. Toussaint has an article running as part of Maria Shriver’s Month of Poetry series on her Architects of Change website. Titled “Words of Love”, this guest post centers around Cynthia’s most personal and beloved poem, gifted by John at their commitment ceremony in 1995. The full story is in her new book, Battle for Grace: A Memoir of Pain, Redemption and Impossible Love.

For Grace Director and contributing writer for Battle for Grace John Garrett is appearing on the National Pain Report as a guest columnist. His piece, titled “A Caregiver’s Journey with Pain and Self-Discovery”, delves into his 30-year experience as a caregiver. Also, he gives tips for others who take on this challenging, selfless and all-important role.

A compelling article about Battle for Grace is running in PainPathways magazine’s “Only On-Line” section. The feature titled “A Pain-Wrecked Life… And How Recovery And Love Became Possible” highlights the author Ms. Toussaint’s CRPS remission brought on by the narrative therapy of writing this book. 

Battle for Grace author Cynthia Toussaint is featured in a National Pain Report article beginning April 17th. Titled “Abused Women More Susceptible To Pain”, this article highlights groundbreaking research that shows certain women are more prone to chronic pain conditions.

Cynthia Toussaint’s new pain memoir Battle for Grace is being featured beginning April 1st on the National Pain Report. The article titled, “One Woman’s Story of a 30 Year Battle with Chronic Pain”, not only speaks to the personal pain experience, but the all-important caregiver’s as well.

Battle for Grace was featured on author Laurie Edwards’ A Chronic Dose blog on March 29th. Our founder Cynthia Toussaint contributed to Ms. Edwards’ upcoming book, In the Kingdom of the Sick.

On March 21st, Maria Shriver recommended Cynthia Toussaint’s Architects of Change blog post and Battle for Grace as must-reads on her The Shriver Report newsletter.

Our founder Cynthia Toussaint’s pain memoir, Battle for Grace, launched March 19th on MariaShriver.com. Please link here to read her thought-provoking blog article, “Overcoming Suffering, Battling for Grace.”

On November 14th For Grace spokesperson Cynthia Toussaint was a guest on the “Winning Life Through Pain” BlogTalkRadio show with host Coach Marla.  The topic was Ms. Toussaint’s new CD, Wonder, and the healing power of music therapy.

An article ran on October 1st in the American Progress Report detailing Step Therapy, California Governor Jerry Brown’s veto of For Grace’s fail first bill and our spokesperson’s response to that unfortunate and perplexing veto.

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 and features For Grace leaders, along with conference panelists Heather Grace, Gail Williamson and our keynoter, Dr. Donna Benton. 

Our 5th Annual Women In Pain Conference’s keynote speaker, Dr. Donna Benton, was a guest along with For Grace leaders on KPFK-FM‘s Access Unlimited radio program on Sept. 12th. This 45-minute segment focused on caregiving, one of the main topics of our conference and a fast-growing social trend in the US.

A great piece ran on September 5th in the American News Report about Step Therapy legislation in play across the US, including For Grace’s AB 369 which is currently on the Gov’s desk. Titled “Patients Seek Faster Access to Pain Meds That Work”, the article delves into this unethical prescription practice health plans use to ration and delay care at the cost of chronic pain patients.

On September 4th, For Grace leaders were guests on LA Talk Radio’s  Mother Love program.  Topics included our upcoming 5th Annual Women In Pain Conference, our California Fail First Bill that’s made it to the Governor’s desk and the chronic pain experience from the patient and caregiver perspectives.

An article ran July 18th on the California Watch website about our Fail First bill, AB 369, and the corporate interests that are for and against its passage. Titled “Patient advocates, drugmakers fight insurers’ pain pill policies”, this balanced article will be picked up by newspapers across California.

The California Channel broadcast our June 27th testimony before the Senate Health Committee.  Very pleased to report that we passed committee on a 5-2 vote.  Better yet, we got our deciding aye vote from Republican Senator Joel Anderson - so AB 369 is now officially a bi-partisan supported bill.  Now we’re on to Senate Appropriations, just a few steps before the Governor’s desk!

Our spokesperson Cynthia Toussaint, was recently interviewed for two media segments that detailed AB 369, our California Fail First bill.  In June, she appeared on a Comcast Sacramento public access show, Live Wire, and she did spots for Northstate Public Radio (NPR) on their Morning Edition and All Things Considered programs. Great bill coverage!

Please check out this enlightening op-ed penned by For Grace founder Cynthia Toussaint which ran on June 20th in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune. The piece entitled, Delay turns into disease for California women, highlights our fail first bill AB 369.

On May 11th, John Garrett, Director of For Grace, was a the guest on the “Winning Life Through Pain” internet radio show with host Coach Marla. He shared his challenges and insight that he gained as a 30-year caregiver of a woman in pain.

For Grace generated and consulted for an April 19th ABCNews.com article titled “Cancer Patients Suffer Unnecessary Pain” that featured Johnie Bennett from our Women In Pain Leadership Circle. Johnie gives inspiring quotes about how self-care brought her to a place of control and better wellness.

In the op-ed titled, “It’s Time to Put a Stop to Step Therapy”, our founder criticizes this unethical prescription practice dubbed “fail first.”  The piece posted March 20th on PainLive.com takes a swipe at the health insurance industry for putting up barriers to timely and appropriate pain care - and highlights our pending California bill AB 369. 

The psychology of pain is explored in an article, “Managing the Stress of Chronic Pain”, that is currently appearing on myregence.com. For Grace Board member Dr. Beth Darnall and Spokesperson Cynthia Toussaint are featured! 

An op-ed titled “Delay No More” about our “fail first” bill, AB 369, penned by For Grace spokesperson Cynthia Toussaint, is running in the March issue of both Southern California Physician and MDNG Pain Management magazines.

For Grace inspired, consulted and interviewed for an ABC World News with Diane Sawyer segment on Feb. 14th 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.

An excellent article ran Jan. 23rd on ABCNews.com highlighting a Stanford University study that concludes women report more pain than their male counterparts. For Grace consulted for this piece titled “Do Women Feel More Pain Than Men? Study Says, ‘Yes’” - and features Tiiu Leek and Mindy Meyer from our Leadership Advocacy Circle.  Great work, ladies!