In This Issue
Quick Links

The INvisible Project


Photography and stories to illustrate the day-to-day struggles of real people living with chronic pain. 

The goal is to make visible the experiences and challenges that are oftentimes hidden, ignored or misunderstood.

 

U.S. Pain Foundation is excited to announce the launch of the 2015 INvisible Project this January!

 

We would like to acknowledge and thank our upcoming participants - Anthony Ameen, Casey Cashman, Emily Lemiska, Guy LoPresti, JP Summers, Lynne Popadak, Melanie Dickens, Michele Rice, Nick Duggan and Robert Foley - for being a part of this profound campaign.

 

Learn More

 

View: "In Their Own Words - The INvisible Project 2015"


October's Schedule

Take Control of Your Pain-Los Angeles
October 16, 2015
9:30-2:30
USC Soto Building
Rooms 2902 and 2904
2011 Soto Street
Los Angeles, CA 90032

Quench the Fire
October 18, 2015
8:00 AM
Van Nuys Park, Los Angeles

Fight Gone Bad
October 24, 2015
CrossFIT Los Gatos, CA
7:30 AM



Please continue to check your e-mail and all social media outlets (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) for an update on events throughout the month of October.

AmazonSmile

 

Don't forget that U.S. Pain joined forces with AmazonSmile! 

This is simplest, easiest and most automatic way for you to support U.S. Pain Foundation every time you shop! 

Simply visit http://smile.amazon.com/ and choose U.S. Pain Foundation as the organization you wish to support. Then each time you make a purchase through AmazonSmile, Amazon will give to U.S. Pain in a form of a donation. It is that easy and there is NO COST to you!

 

October 9, 2015
Pain Awareness Month
October 2015
To My Fellow Pain Warriors and Friends:
 
The U.S. Pain Foundation is happy to report that September's Pain Awareness Month was a huge success and for that, we would like to thank each and every one of you! By sharing information and raising awareness about chronic pain, you gave the speechless a voice! Thank you for being an integral part of our advocacy efforts, we are eternally grateful! You are all true heroes and we are honored to have such strong, courageous members!

October continues our awareness efforts as we host and participate in three events this month. For information regarding these events, please see the sidebar below and share with friends you have in the surrounding areas! 

Thank you for being a part of our mission - to improve the lives of those living with pain by validating chronic medical conditions and educating others. You are all pain warriors. U.S. Pain is here to help. 

 

Wishing you all a low-pain and high-spirits day,

Paul Gileno

            Founder & President, U.S. Pain Foundation

U.S. Pain's September Pain Awareness Month Recap 

We had 895 people sign and participate in our "September's Pain Awareness Pledge," which lead individuals to take a daily, active role in spreading awareness for chronic pain.

We had 25 counties participate in our second annual Beautify in Blue campaign, which raised awareness for Pain Awareness Month and highlights the bravery of pain warriors by placing signs and ribbons throughout those communities.

We had 36 city and state Proclamations declaring September as Pain Awareness Month.

We held  7 different pain awareness events in 7 different states around the country to raise awareness for chronic pain. 

We launched our newest resource for pain patients, Pain Medicine 411 to help individuals better understand the medications they are taking for chronic pain. It can be found at  www.painmedicine411.org

Nicole Hemmenway participated in MediaplanetUSA's "Chronic Pain" campaign raising awareness while help individuals live fulfilling lives while battling chronic pain. She was on the cover of USA Today in NY, LA, and DC. Her story can be read online at:  www.futureofpersonalhealth.com

CDC Opioid Guidelines Revised
By: Pat Anson

In the wake of growing criticism by pain sufferers and patient advocacy groups, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is revising its controversial guidelines for primary care physicians who prescribe opioids.
"CDC is currently in the midst of the scientific process and the draft guidelines document is still being revised, without final language that we can disseminate at present. At each step of this process, we've incorporated feedback and revisions have been made.  We do not want clinicians using these guidelines until they are finalized," said Courtney Leland, a CDC spokesperson in an email to Pain News Network.
The extent of the revisions is unclear and the agency says it is still on track to finalize the guidelines in January, 2016.

America Starts Talking 
In an effort to continue providing educational means surrounding various chronic pain and patient topics, U.S. Pain Foundation has joined a new initiative aimed to elevate the conversation around the safe use of prescription opioids. This is in an effort to provide as many tools as possible so that patients, as well as their friends, family members and caregivers, are prepared for an opioid emergency, such as an accidental overdose.
Through the new site, AmericaStartsTalking.com, U.S. Pain members and Pain Ambassadors can have free access to quick facts on the safe use of prescription opioids and a discussion guide to take with you to your next doctor's appointment.
Thanks to this initiative, U.S. Pain and America Starts Talking are hopeful that we can ensure these potentially life-saving conversations pertaining to safe use of prescription opioids are taking place. To learn more, click the photo.

Ask Your Doctor: A PainPathways Magazine Project
Pain Ambassadors were given the task of holding conversations with their healthcare providers, asking if they have heard of U.S. Pain Foundation and PainPathways Magazine. Copies of 
the Fall edition of the publication were given to volunteers to share this helpful resource with   healt hcare pro viders; the goal was to place this additional tool within the hands of a pain survivor who could benefit from the articles and information contained within the magazine. As a thank you, PainPathways will be highlighting the efforts of Pain Ambassadors who carried out this project and submitted a picture of him/herself to U.S. Pain. 

WANT TO GET INVOLVED?
U.S. Pain and PainPathways have extended the deadline for ASK YOUR DOCTOR to October 25th. We'd like to thank those who have shared this valuable information with their healthcare providers and submitted pictures for the magazine. For additional information, email: Ambassadordirector@gmail.com

(Pictured above: Ambassador Michelle Rice participating in the Initiative.)
#NPSChat



The Consumer Pain Advocacy Task Force, a group made up of 16 organizations dedicated towards working to improve the well-being of those living with pain, crafted an event (Twitter Chat) to further educate patients, caregivers and healthcare providers regarding the National Pain Strategy.
U.S. Pain Foundation, one of the coalition members, proudly supported, assisted in the planning and participated in the unique Twitter Chat. The chat was held on Tuesday, September 29th. It featured Guest Tweeters   Bob Twillman, PhD, FAPM, Executive Director American Academy of Pain Management & Lynn Webster, MD, Vice President of Scientific Affairs at PRA Health Sciences, Past President of the American Academy of Pain Medicine and Christin Veasley, Co-Founder and Director, Chronic Pain Research Alliance.
The Twitter Chat was an incredibly productive platform for everyone to come together and learn about NPS, what it means for the pain community, what steps have been taken and can be taken and how pain warriors can become involved. Updates concerning the event can be found here: http://consumerpainadvocacy.org/twitter-chat/
Stay tuned for additional CPATF efforts regarding the NPS draft plan!


Partnering Groups 
   top hereoes

U.S. Pain Foundation would like to thank all of its corporate members.

 

To see a list of our corporate members, please click here

 

 

U.S. Pain Foundation | uspainfoundation@gmail.com | http://www.uspainfoundation.org
670 Newfield Street
Suite B
Middletown, CT 06457