While at the 2013 Canadian Rheumatology Association Annual Scientific Meeting, the ABN interviewed rheumatologists with several questions, including about the value they get from attending this conference. Here is what Dr. Kam Shojania, ARC researcher and head of the Division of Rheumatology at the University of British Columbia, had to say.
To view more interviews, please click here.
To find out more about the event, why ABN was there, and our activities, please click here.
Golden Sunset at Jericho Beach
Arthritis Consumer Experts (ACE) president, Cheryl Koehn, took advantage of last night’s golden opportunity to exercise by swimming as the sun set at Jericho Beach.
Cheryl swears by her regular therapeutic swims after work to help cope with shoulder pains from her rheumatoid arthritis. Also, it helps her to maintain muscle strength in an “arthritis friendly”, non-weight bearing fashion. She has inspired her staff at the ACE office to bike and walk to work.
How are you exercising in the sun? Here are a few more ideas in addition to swimming:
Try to make exercise a part of your arthritis treatment plan. Depending on your individual arthritis and diagnosis, the above ideas may or may not be suitable for your exercise plan. Please consult with your family doctor before starting a new exercise routine. This June 2011′s issue of JointHealth™ Monthly may help you get started.
Arthritis and related bone and joint diseases are the most common cause of work disability in Canada. Some of the most common reasons that may contribute include:
Research has shown that 25-50% of people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) will have to stop working within ten years of being diagnosed. If you are in your 20s, 30s, or 40s that can be devastating because that means you only have a few years to accomplish as much as you can, to earn enough money to support yourself for the rest of your life, and you may have to forgo saving up for your children’s education. Take heart, however, because many people have found ways to continue working in spite of severe arthritis.
In a country as large as Canada, meeting every citizen’s healthcare needs is difficult. People with arthritis have their own set of challenges, such as getting a timely diagnosis and early treatment. The difficulties are greater still, for those living in remote or rural areas.
In this issue of JointHealth™ monthly, Arthritis Consumer Experts explores how to improve arthritis healthcare in Canada from a regional and national perspective. We look at solutions being implemented to overcome some of the challenges of providing healthcare in rural and remote settings. On a broader national level, we look at the work underway to create a harmonized standard of arthritis care that will work all across Canada, while considering the individual needs of each province and territory.
Dr. Cheryl Barnabe is interviewed by Arthritis Broadcast Network representative, Victoria Kline during the 2013 Canadian Rheumatology Association Annual Scientific Meeting. Dr. Barnabe is a rheumatologist and researcher at the University of Calgary who studies epidemiology and outcomes research, particularly in the First Nations. or Aboriginal, populations of Canada. In this interview Dr. Barnabe discusses the special needs and concerns her female patients have, how healthcare access can be improved, and what can be done to reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis.
Participate in an anonymous global survey about rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to have your voice heard.
An international research company is doing a short survey to gather information from 
people living with RA around the world. The survey results will help to increase global awareness about the impact of the disease and to empower those living with RA to better manage the disease.
The goals of the survey are to learn how people living with RA are:
All participants answers will be combined and the overall results will be shared with the larger RA community, including patients from all over the world, healthcare providers, and patient advocacy groups.
All responses are anonymous.
To help create a better understanding of RA, it’s time to let your voice be heard—take the survey here. The survey will be open until April 11, 2013.
What is “RA: Join the Fight”?
RA: Join the Fight is a global campaign developed by AbbVie Inc. to raise awareness about how rheumatoid arthritis affects those who live with it. Rheumatoid arthritis is an under-recognized autoimmune disease that occurs in roughly 0.5 to 1.0 % of the population. To better understand and relay the physical and emotional impact of the disease and needs of people living with RA, an anonymous global survey is being conducted in 42 countries around the world. Information from the survey will be used by AbbVie to design better tools to educate patients, family members, and caregivers about RA. To learn more about the background, please see: www.RAJointheFight.com.
Disclaimer: Sharing this announcement from AbbVie Inc. is in no way an endorsement of the company. ACE does not promote any “brand”, product or program on any of its materials or its website, or during any of its educational programs or activities.
