Pain BC Newsletter
From our Executive Director, Maria Hudspith
On May 5th, Health Canada released the final report from the Canadian Pain Task Force (CPTF), An Action Plan for Pain in Canada. The plan lays out recommendations for targeted actions necessary to improve outcomes for the nearly eight million Canadians living with chronic pain and to reduce its impact on families, communities, and society.

In support of the action plan’s recommendations, Pain BC has partnered with more than 35 organizations across Canada and internationally on the #PrioritizePain campaign. This national awareness and advocacy campaign aims to amplify the recommendations in the Action Plan and to advocate for their implementation.

The #PrioritizePain campaign provides tools in both English and French to support organizations and individuals to join the call for action. The tools are available online at www.paincanada.ca and www.douleurcanada.ca.

The campaign has already generated 4.5 million impressions and engaged 596 organizations and individuals since it launched. We need your support to further amplify the call to action. Whether you live with pain or are a caregiver, a health care provider, or an organization who cares about the issue of pain in Canada, I encourage you to read the action plan and to make your voice heard on this issue. Every tweet and advocacy letter demonstrates that people care about this issue and want to see meaningful action, leadership and investment. To get involved, please visit www.paincanada.ca or www.douleurcanada.ca.
Pain BC programs, resources and updates
The following programs and initiatives are funded, in whole or in part, by the Province of British Columbia: Coaching for Health, chronic pain management workshops for health care providers, Gentle Movement and Relaxation course, Live Plan Be, Making Sense of Pain, Pain BC's monthly webinars for health care providers, Pain Foundations, Pain Support and Wellness Groups, Pain Support Line and the Pain Waves podcast.
Help Pain BC win $20,000 to grow our Pain Support and Wellness Groups

Now more than ever, people with pain need support, care and connection to manage pain and sustain hope. Throughout the pandemic and beyond, Pain BC's online Pain Support and Wellness Groups provide free-to-access support, education, community and hope to people with pain throughout the province.

Demand for the Pain Support and Wellness Groups is high and continues to grow. That's why we're asking for your help to win Canada Helps’ Great Canadian Giving Challenge so that we can grow this program to support even more people with pain.

Throughout the month of June, every dollar you donate to Pain BC via Canada Helps will support people with pain and will automatically count as an entry towards the $20,000 prize draw.

Please support the one in five British Columbians living with pain by making your donation today.
Opportunities to join the Pain BC team

We're excited to share we're currently looking for five individuals to join our growing team. Please read below for the available positions. If you or anyone you know may be interested, we encourage you to apply or share.

Coaching for Health Lead

We're looking for a full-time counsellor or social worker to lead the delivery of Pain BC's Coaching for Health program in a safe, consultative, trauma-informed, and evidence-based manner. This includes supporting our volunteer coaches by responding to ad-hoc requests, running debrief sessions, and monitoring the quality of coaching being provided.
Communications Coordinator

We're looking for a full-time Communications Coordinator who can support Pain BC’s external communications efforts, including managing its social media presence, its websites, and various newsletters; liaising with internal and external stakeholders to create and deliver pain-related content; and building and maintaining positive relationships with diverse audiences through all external communication channels.
Communications Lead

We're looking for a full-time Communications Lead who can take Pain BC’s communications strategy and develop and execute the appropriate tactics, including: managing the communications calendar; determining what content and collateral needs to be created for programs and campaigns and ensuring it is delivered with quality; managing campaigns and other projects to completion; and building and maintaining relationships with key external stakeholders.  
Instructional Designer

We're looking for a full-time, temporary Instructional Designer who can help design Pain BC’s educational programs for health care providers, people living with pain, and our volunteer community.
Pain Support and Wellness Group Lead

We're looking for a full-time social worker or counsellor who can oversee the day-to-day management of our Pain Support and Wellness Groups for people living with pain.
Social Worker

We're looking for a full-time social worker or counsellor who can provide programmatic support to Pain BC's Support Services programs for people living with pain.
Share your feedback: Pain BC's Find Help Near You database

Pain BC is re-designing its publicly accessible "Find Help Near You" database, an online tool that allows people with pain to find health care providers who specialize in pain care and other pain-related programs and services in their region. The new-and-improved database will allow users to refine their search by location, health care provider discipline (e.g., pain specialist, physiotherapist etc.), and/or type of resource (e.g., support group, class series, etc.).

We would greatly appreciate hearing your thoughts on the database through this short survey. Your feedback will help us build a database that best meets the needs of people living with pain in BC.

Funding for this project was provided by the Shared Care Committee (SCC), one of the Joint Collaborative Committees (JCC) of Doctors of BC and the BC Government.
The SYMBIOME Project: Predicting and explaining recovery from musculoskeletal trauma
New Pain Waves podcast episode

In our most recent Pain Waves podcast episode, we’re joined by two guests to learn more about the SYMBIOME Project. Dave Walton, Lead Researcher and Director of the Pain and Quality of Life Integrative Research Lab, tells us about the project and its aims to predict and explain recovery from musculoskeletal trauma, as well as next steps in the project and what his hopes are for how the results of this research can inform positive change to the Canadian health care system. Curtis May, a person living with pain, shares his experiences participating in this project and provides insight into why it’s important to include people with lived experience in research.
Our supports for people with pain
Access our free pain self-management resources, including evidence-based articles, assessment tools, and an anonymous discussion forum.
Connect with Pain Support Line staff to talk about your pain, find information on community resources, learn about pain and self-management, and much more.
Join an online group and build a community of support while learning about pain, pain management and coping strategies.
Receive one-on-one phone support and mentorship from a coach who will help you learn about self-management, regaining function and improving your well-being.
Gentle Movement @ Home: Guided movement and relaxation for pain during COVID-19 (and beyond)

Gentle Movement @ Home online sessions provide guided movement and relaxation designed to help people with persistent pain learn to feel safe to move again. Topics include breath awareness and regulation, body tension regulation, and movement and relaxation techniques in both seated and standing positions.

The full collection of Gentle Movement @ Home videos are available to view for free via our YouTube channel.
Upcoming Pain BC and partner workshops, webinars and courses for health care providers
Online workshop: Chronic Pain Management for Registered Massage Therapists
This workshop provides RMTs with an opportunity to learn how modifications of traditional massage therapy practices can increase success and improve outcomes for people in pain.

Due to COVID-19, these workshops are now offered online via Zoom and are accessible to RMTs from any region of the province. Please note that, in its new online format, the course will be broken up into two-hour blocks and will be held over three days.

Upcoming workshop dates:

  • May 28-30, 2021 from 10:00AM-12:00PM PST (SOLD OUT)
  • September 17-19, 2021 from 10:00AM-12:00PM PST (SOLD OUT)
  • October 15-17, 2021 from 10:00AM-12:00PM PST
BC ECHO for Chronic Pain
Health care providers of all disciplines are invited to join our virtual community of practice to gain improved competence in providing care for complex pain cases. Sessions for this cycle will be held each month until June 2021. Providers have the option to register for individual sessions or for the entire cycle. A full list of dates and topics can be found on our website.
Pain Foundations for Allied Health Providers
Pain Foundations for Allied Health Providers is an online course designed for allied health care providers to improve their understanding of chronic pain and how to address the challenges of pain assessment and treatment. This practical, compact course allows learners to develop clinically relevant approaches to chronic pain management and develop a strong grounding in pain science to support further exploration. The course is free for health care providers in BC and offered at a modest cost for providers outside of BC.

Pain Foundations for Primary Care Providers
This practical, compact course allows physicians and nurse practitioners to develop clinically relevant approaches to chronic pain management, including non-pharmacological treatments and prescribing best practices. Learners will develop a strong grounding in pain science to support further exploration. The course is free for primary care providers in BC and offered at a modest cost for physicians and nurse practitioners outside of BC.

Gentle Movement and Relaxation course
This free, online course will equip physiotherapists and other therapeutic movement professionals with practical knowledge and teaching resources to lead their own movement and relaxation programs for people living with chronic pain.

The Gentle Movement and Relaxation course is currently available to BC health care providers only.

Other programs, opportunities and resources
Free resource guide for caregivers

The Arthritis Society has created a Caregiver Guide to help people living with arthritis and their loved ones navigate the caregiving role and relationship. The guide can be equally helpful for those who care for people living with non-arthritis pain.
Survey on digital technology for Canadians with disabilities

The Neil Squire Society is interested in hearing from Canadians with disabilities about the impact of digital technology on their lives. Anyone interested in sharing their experiences is invited to complete this short survey.
Feedback opportunity: PharmaCare coverage of medication for psoriatic arthritis
Accepting feedback until June 16, 2021

The Ministry of Health is considering coverage of upadacitinib ( Rinvoq™) for psoriatic arthritis under PharmaCare and is seeking input from both patients and caregivers as part of their review. Anyone interested in providing feedback can do so online until June 16, 2021.
Pain Society of Alberta 15th Annual Conference
October 15-17, 2021

The Pain Society of Alberta is hosting its annual conference virtually on October 15-17, 2021. Registration costs range from $49.00 to $99.00 for health care providers, while people living with pain and medical students are invited to attend for free.
Research and engagement opportunities
Study for people with cancer and chronic pain

The UBC School of Nursing and SFU School of Interactive Arts + Technology are looking for people with cancer, who also experience chronic pain, to test the use of immersive multimedia experiences for managing pain. Those who participate will be compensated for their time. Please contact Crystal Sun, Project Manager at crystal.sun@ubc.ca for more information or if you are interested in participating in the study.
In the news
Social prescribing
A public health researcher shares how doctors should consider social prescribing as part of their practice, which includes things like exercise, meditation and human connection.
Ten ways to find hope when you feel like you can't fight anymore
A person living with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) shares personal insight on remaining hopeful and resilient while living with a chronic illness.
Premier, community leaders working together to get everyone registered for a COVID-19 vaccine
The Government of BC recently announced it's expecting to receive more than one million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine this month and encourages everyone who is eligible to register to ensure they can get vaccinated. There are three ways to register: online, over the phone and in person.
Accessibility legislation plain language summary
The Accessible BC Act, a new proposed law, aims to allow the BC government to establish accessibility standards and regulations to help ensure people with disabilities can fully participate in their communities. Learn more about the Act in this press release or via the plain language summary below.
Life delayed: Why 'languishing' is a pandemic thing, and what you can do to get out of that rut
This CTV article talks about how the term languishing has grown in popularity to describe how many are feeling during the pandemic, and shares tips for what people who feel languished can do to take care of their mental health.
Why I sometimes feel like a burden - and how I'm taking back control
The author of this The Mighty article shares how living with a chronic illness sometimes makes her feel like a burden - and how she's taking back control of her life.
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