Good news from Sacramento! For Grace's resolution proclaiming September as Pain Awareness Month and September 1st as Women In Pain Day was introduced on July 17th. According to Assemblymember Nick Schultz's office, HR 51 will get a Rules Committee hearing on August 18th, and it's expected to pass on the Floor's Consent Calendar August 29th. This will be For Grace's 22nd year in a row effort - and we extend a warm thanks to Leg Director Jim Metropolus for making sure this much needed information reaches policy makers.
Check out For Grace's August Story of the Month as we continue our focus on how chronic pain intersects with social isolation. Cynthia ("Harley Lady") was diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitis (IC) in the 1990's, but it's been a challenge for her to get good treatment. While she's now found practitioners and advocates who have greatly helped, Cynthia and other family members with IC have hit road blocks in understanding and compassion from loved ones. This causes a sense of loneliness, and Cynthia shares, "It's sad, but we try our best to function as 'healthy people'".
The challenge of chronic pain knows no borders, so For Grace is helping out with articles for our northern neighbors. Earlier this year, we consulted on and were featured in a piece about women and the gender disparity in the treatment of chronic pain for International Women's Day that ran in the National Post, Canada's #1 legacy newspaper. More recently we consulted on an upcoming, eye-opening article at the Post that will examine how our brains change when we have chronic pain. Watch for it in September which is Pain Awareness Month in the US!
Caregivers are unsung heroes, providing countless hours of love and support. But for all the good they do, it can still be a pretty lonely road. For Grace is seeking stories that speak to the interconnection between chronic pain and loneliness/social isolation. We're now expanding beyond women in pain, and also want to hear from caregivers about their unique challenges of staying connected (or not) when providing care often keeps them inside and apart. We're looking for two more stories to round out the year, so please link here to submit.
