Are you aware that today over 66 million people have arthritis
or chronic joint pain? On average, that is approximately one in
three people that are suffering from arthritis at this moment.
That is almost as large as the population of Virginia...times 10!
Do you think the chronic joint pain caused by arthritis is
reserved for the elderly? It isn't limited to those that are
older. Arthritis affects all ages. There are nearly 300,000
children in America with some form of arthritis or rheumatic
disease.
If you happen to be one of the fortunate who is not currently
suffering from arthritis, don't think it is not affecting you.
Arthritis costs the U.S. economy $86.2 billion annually. That is
not a mistake. The cost to our country is in the billions of
dollars each year.
I know several people whose lives are impacted by arthritis and
related diseases. My wife is one of those. Kim continually
experiences joint pain due to arthritis and lupus. She takes
medications daily and frequently visits doctors and physical
therapists to cope with the hurting. Surgeries have also taken
place in the past.
Do you know someone with arthritis? You might be surprised at
what he or she has to go through to deal with the hurting. You
might also be surprised at the limits it places on daily living.
I decided to make a difference. I became a volunteer for the
Arthritis Foundation. They are the only national not-for-profit
organization that supports the more than 100 types of arthritis
and related
conditions with advocacy, programs, services and
research. They partner with organizations to offer exercise
programs and courses specifically for those affected by
arthritis. They offer these programs in my own hometown of
Fredericksburg, Virginia.
Each year the Arthritis Foundation holds walks across the
country to raise funds and awareness. My team, the Pain Killers,
participated in the Fredericksburg Arthritis Walk this past May.
We helped raise more than $33,000.00 in Fredericksburg for the
Arthritis Foundation. I now have the honor of being selected as
the chairperson for the 2006 Fredericksburg Arthritis Walk.
I encourage you to honor that person you know with arthritis by
helping with the Arthritis Walk in your area. Get your friends
and coworkers involved as well. There are many ways to get
involved. You will make new friends and have fun while working
to eliminate the #1 cause of disability.
About the author:
To learn more about arthritis and to find an Arthritis Walk in
your area go to http://www.arthritis.org or call 404-872-7100.
To join or donate to Team Pain Killers go to
http://arthritiswalkfredericksburg.kintera.org/faf/r.asp?t=12&i=1
50101&g=1161782. Roger Carr is the founder of Everyday Giving
(http://www.everydaygiving.com) and a volunteer with the
Arthritis Foundation, Virginia Chapter.
Written by: Roger Carr
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