作为一名关节炎患者和关节炎基金会的长期志愿者，蒂芙尼找到了回馈和鼓励他人的方法。She also recommends trying the new Vim app.

By Tiffany Coffman, Denver, Colorado

我有两个患有关节炎的孩子，我自己也在与四种疾病作斗争。我每天吃36片药，从我的处方治疗疾病的抗风湿药(DMARDs)到非处方止痛药。老实说，这有时很艰难，但我们已经度过了这一切，这在很大程度上要感谢我们在过去15年里在关节炎社区结交的许多朋友。我成为了一名充满激情的关节炎基金会志愿者，因为我想回馈社会，帮助他人，就像我们被帮助一样。

As part of a community of 54 million warriors, we can each do something to fight arthritis by giving what we can — whether that’svolunteering,advocating ormaking a tax-deductible donation.在世界关节炎日，我们可以与每一个生活在痛苦中的人分享希望。

My family’s arthritis journey

My pain began when I was in high school. I was super active in soccer, marching band and coaching sports at the YMCA. All of that came to a screeching halt when I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. I hurt all over, especially in my feet, ankles, wrists and fingers. Since then, I’ve also been diagnosed with osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia and Sjögren’s syndrome, all of which are arthritis-related conditions. Soon I will have a bone-scan for osteoporosis, which will be a whole new ballgame.

Arthritis has also affected my children. My son, Christopher, who’s now 17 and a high school senior, had symptoms at birth. I took him to the doctor when he was 18 months old to find out why he wasn’t walking. A year later, he was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis (JA).

几年后，我的女儿布列塔尼(Brittany)在15岁时被诊断出患有纤维肌痛。谁能想到它会影响生殖系统?我们从关节炎基金会了解到这一点，以及当我27岁的已婚女儿不能怀孕时我们可以探索的替代方案。I’m thrilled to become a first-time grandma of my adorable new grandson, whom they recently adopted.

I love kids.

Over the years, we’ve participated in Arthritis FoundationJA camps, JA family days and the NationalJA Conference, which were so informative and inspiring to our whole family as my children grew up. Besides my involvement in those, I became a leader and moderator for生活是的!Connect Groups为JA的父母们准备的，我们在大流行期间几乎一直都是这样。My family has also been active in our localWalk to Cure Arthritis.

I volunteer for the Arthritis Foundation’sHelpline, too, when questions come up about JA. I feel the best way to help is to listen and show compassion for what someone believes is their most difficult situation ever. I have learned to be more compassionate. Everyone has an issue, so we make the best with what we have.

I love my job, and I love kids, which is why I’ve run my own daycare center from home for several years. But watching 10 kids a day can be challenging at times. To keep up and keep me going, I’ve been using the Arthritis Foundation’s newVim app. It’s part of the Foundation’s overall focus on managing chronic pain, which I also love.

The Vim app can help change your life.

The free Vim apphas so many benefits. I hope you’ll give it a try. It’s easy to use, which is great for someone technology-challenged like me!

• In Vim, I get asked what my pain level is every day — a question I don’t usually get asked except at my doctor’s appointments. So, I get to monitor my pain over a period of time, see what’s triggering my symptoms when, and maybe make adjustments so I’m in greater control.
• I have used everything — the app’s diet tips, info about yoga, meditation, self-reflection, breathing, different supplements you can use and more. It’s all there.
• You can set your own short-term goals and keep track of how you’re doing. Like walk to the end of the block three times a week. Get in the car and take a ride twice a week. Reach out to a friend for moral support. Just give it time and practice.
• The encouragement I get from others in the arthritis community is unbelievably motivating. Besides seeing people cheer me on, I can help others if they’re having a bad day. We’re all in this together.

With Vim,你可以把被慢性疼痛带走的东西拿回来。试一试。I whole-heartedly recommend it!

The invaluable support and resources that have made such a big difference in Tiffany’s life are made possible thanks to friends like you. You can power more life-changing research, support and tools bymaking a donation today.

Natalie Decker is aChronic Strength Champion，这意味着她不仅控制了自己的痛苦，她还进行了反击。阅读下面的文章，了解娜塔莉是如何战胜类风湿关节炎的。

在我生命的大部分时间里，我知道两件事:1)我一直想成为一名纳斯卡赛车手;2)生下来就患有幼年类风湿性关节炎(JRA)并不会阻止我追求充实、积极的生活。现在，24岁的我可以很高兴地说，作为纳斯卡赛场上最优秀的年轻车手之一，作为其他关节炎患者追逐梦想的倡导者，我已经完成了对两者的承诺。

The road to managing RA

Getting to this place in my life has been full of ups and downs. After being diagnosed with JRA at the age of 2, I began a high dosage of a chemo drug once a week for over 10 years. It made me very tired, gave me headaches and left me feeling sick and nauseous all the time. Around the age of 12, I went into remission and got off the medication.

Throughout this time, I continued to stay active. In fact, my pediatrician couldn’t believe all that I could do as a child. Whether it was dance, hockey, soccer or go-kart racing, he told me that the activities should have been physically impossible for me to do, and yet, I persisted. I learned early on the importance of having a great support system and believing in myself to achieve whatever I put my mind to. This helped me manage the symptoms of my disease and stay active while also pursuing my dream of becoming a NASCAR driver.

今天，管理我的助教看起来不一样了。不久前我的病情缓解了，疼痛和僵硬比我年轻时严重得多。我正在学习如何照顾自己，并在一天中建立有规律的休息。Racing in my car for hours at a time in one position can be painful, so I must be prepared, learn how to recover fast and know my limitations in the gym. The Arthritis Foundation’sVim apphas been a helpful tool in setting and tracking goals and accessing the latest information for pain management. Like many patients with RA, I’m currently on infusions to manage the symptoms.

Building a community

在我成长的过程中，我的父母并不知道关节炎基金会和它提供的所有好处，但我很幸运，在我的整个过程中，我的家人都支持我。我们会在周末去各地参加赛车比赛，在那里我们遇到的每个人都成了我们的大家庭。它帮助我努力工作，追求我的梦想，知道我的支持者在为我加油。

Because I know how important it is to have that community in place, I’ve made it my commitment to partnering with the Arthritis Foundation to help give kids the support they need — just like I did. I’ve become involved with Live Yes!Connect Groupsand theJA camps(my favorite!) and see firsthand the immense benefits they provide to young patients. While I wish I had known about them growing up, it’s now my mission to help ensure that other kids go to camp and have access to the resources, local programs and support they need through the Arthritis Foundation.

Having a community of support is so important to empowering young people to chase their dreams and live a full life. For a long time, I was hesitant to share my story, but I’m so grateful for the opportunity to share it now and hopefully play a small role in inspiring others. Together with the Arthritis Foundation and the public’s help, we can change lives!

海伦·金是关节炎基金会的长期志愿者，她在当地(宾夕法尼亚东部和新泽西南部)抗击关节炎方面产生了重大影响，也是我们国家董事会的新成员。在这里，她谈到了基金会的疼痛管理策略。

By Helen King, King of Prussia, PA

去年春天，有人问我是否有兴趣加入关节炎基金会的全国董事会，我感到很惊喜。我是。去年夏天，我被董事会全体成员投票选出。这对我来说是多么的荣幸和荣幸，在过去的几年里，我一直在为当地的基金会做志愿者。

I was diagnosed with acute onset, and aggressive, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in 2014. I didn’t expect this sudden diagnosis, and it felt like a death sentence at the time. I pictured myself being immobile, wheelchair bound and worse. I’ve also been diagnosed with osteoarthritis, degenerative disk disease and spinal stenosis. I underwent spinal surgery several years before my RA diagnosis. Perhaps that’s when my RA started developing. We’ll never know. Learning I had RA was a tough blow, and I didn’t know where to turn until I found the Arthritis Foundation.

Getting involved with the Arthritis Foundation is a way for me to give back. Over the past few years, I’ve volunteered as a Platinum Ambassador, speaking up to help enact new laws that make health care more affordable and accessible. I’ve led my local Walk to Cure Arthritis team, and together we’ve raised around $300,000 for arthritis research and resources since 2017. I’ve led local and national生活是的!Connect Groupsto help bring our community closer together, especially during the pandemic.

一切就是这样开始的。这也是我投身于关节炎社区的原因。这是一个真正相互支持的家庭。作为一名志愿者，你一路上会遇到很多人，这是一个很棒的支持系统。我知道我对当地的人们产生了影响。现在能在全国范围内回馈社会，我很感激也很谦卑。随着基金会的疼痛管理策略的实施，我可以把更多的病人的观点纳入其中。这就是我感到兴奋的地方。

From my view as a patient: I’m really glad that the Arthritis Foundation is puttinga special focus on pain managementover the next few years. Pain permeates everything, and it’s very individualized. If you’ve never lived in chronic pain, it’s kind of hard to understand how it can seep into every part of life. It impacts you socially, financially, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Living with chronic pain every day changes who you are.

疼痛会影响你的心理健康和睡眠质量。它会导致抑郁和焦虑。我认为关节炎基金会的策略包含了疼痛的心理健康方面，这是很好的，这需要被认识和关注。我认为大多数人，包括医学界的专家，都没有意识到伴随慢性疼痛的抑郁和焦虑的程度。

I’ve learned that managing your pain is a layered experience. It’s multi-faceted for me. Maybe just one thing won’t take away your pain. Yes, it’s diet. Yes, it’s exercise and sleeping better. Yes, it’s pharmacological if need be. Each layer can help. It’s a multi-layered scenario that arthritis patients need to know more about. I love the idea that you can focus on short-term goals throughVim, the Arthritis Foundation’s new app,which I’m using regularly to make some progress, a step at a time. Perhaps best of all, you can connect with others like you, if you wish, to share tips and cheer each other on.

Holistically, the Arthritis Foundation’s stake-in-the-groundpain management statementis a huge focus area going forward. When talking with so many different people with many forms of arthritis in recent years, I often hear them say the pain aspect is diminished or forgotten. That they’re not heard when they go to the doctor. That they’re not heard by policymakers and other decision makers.

It’s important to understand that this is an Arthritis Foundation priority. It has always been there, but now it’s being spotlighted in a bigger way. Everything about the arthritis movement must keep that pain aspect in mind. Just know that my fellow board members and I are standing up for you as the Foundation focuses on the number one complaint people with arthritis have: PAIN. I’m proud to represent you as a new national board member. And I appreciate this opportunity to make an even bigger impact on a larger stage.

Helen’s tips for living your best life with arthritis:

1.) Find your tribe

寻找那些能在你不顺的时候支持你的人，在你不顺的时候陪你一起庆祝的人。

2.) Be proactive in your health care

Advocate for yourself. It’s not about your doctor telling you what to do, it’s about partnering and learning how to talk to your doctor to get the best outcome.

3.) Practice self-care

A lot of women are bad at putting themselves first. But it’s important to do something that feeds your soul. For me, it’s volunteering and giving back.

4.) Keep a positive attitude

We all have down days. By no means am I flying through this without getting depressed or gettingtiredof being in pain after 3 days of a flare. I just try not to get stuck there.

Travis Salmon is aChronic Strength Champion, which means he doesn’t just take control of his pain — he battles back. Read to learn how Travis has found ways to overcome his osteoarthritis.

In my late 20s, I was unexpectedly diagnosed with end-stageosteoarthritis(OA) in my ankle — and told that, at some point, I’d need to have my ankle fused. Fresh out of law school and still playing basketball multiple times per week, the news came as a total shock. As a former college athlete, I was devastated that I might never be able to shoot hoops with my own kids.

For 15 years, I tried anything and everything to avoid ankle fusion surgery. The possibility of it scared me. I envisioned a future where I would be unable to move my ankle permanently and was determined to avoid surgery.

Overcoming emotional and mental challenges

在这段时间里，身体上的疼痛是我旅途中很大的一部分。但是OA的情感和精神方面也同样具有挑战性。这个诊断确实限制了我对家人的照顾。每天，我都在想我该如何处理一些简单的事情，比如去杂货店购物，带着我的孩子到处跑。至于家庭旅行，我会围绕不太运动的活动来计划整个假期。

Desperately searching for an all-encompassing resource to learn about treatments and options for managing my disease, I tried every OA treatment available. From stem cell therapy to assistive devices, and even participating in clinical trials. During this time, I also began volunteering with theArthritis Foundation of Greater Kansas City (AFGKC)最终加入了他们的董事会。我发现了一种深刻的意义和联系，与年轻人分享我的故事，谈论如何克服关节炎的挑战。

After exhausting my options for managing OA without surgery, I eventually had ankle fusion therapy, which virtually cured my arthritis pain. I’m so grateful for it. And it has changed my life for the better. Recovery took about a year. But today I’m able to walk, run, jog and do things I hadn’t been able to do for 20 years.

Finding my community

My pain management journey has been a long and winding road. And until I discovered the Arthritis Foundation, it was a lonely one, too. Now, as a patient advocate, I work to ensure patients that you can more quickly and easily gain access to the wealth of resources the Arthritis Foundation offers.

Through theVim app, I have all the resources needed right at my fingertips, including treatment options, pain management tips, suggestions for physical activities and local groups and events to connect with right here in my own community. I also rely on the app’s ability to track my pain in between doctor’s appointments, which has helped ensure more accurate and informative discussions when it’s been months since my doctor and I talked. I only wish that I had access to this 20 years ago, when first learning about my diagnosis. For anyone going through this journey, know that you do not have to spend years looking for solutions and educating yourself in isolation, like I did.

Today, I lead an active life as a busy trial attorney and father of two, outside of my role as a Patient Leadership Council member. While I can’t play basketball at the same level I did in college, I am still physically active — swimming, cycling, walking and weightlifting. For young people diagnosed with arthritis: My hope for you is to live a healthy, active life and, importantly, surround yourself with the support and resources needed to keep moving forward — even through the tough times.

作为关节炎基金会的患者领导委员会(PLC)的成员，这是这个月有两个人分享他们的经历，这是其中的第二篇。Learn how to apply to join the PLC at the end of this post.

By Laura Genoves

ThePatient Leadership Council(PLC) was formed by the Arthritis Foundation in 2017. I have been fortunate to serve as a member of this diverse group of individuals from across the country since its inception.

In the days before COVID-19 (remember those days?) I would volunteer in person at my local Arthritis Foundation Office in Seattle once or twice a month. A staff member mentioned the newly forming PLC to me and encouraged me to apply. At the time, I was just finishing up my Limited License Legal Technician (LLLT) studies at the University of Washington School of Law and working toward my passion for affordable access to justice. LLLTs offer affordable family law services to those living in Washington State. Being licensed as an LLLT has provided the opportunity for me to give voice and meaning to the stories of those who traditionally could not afford the full services of an attorney. Now I provide licensed and professional assistance to those not able to represent themselves.

Being a member of the PLC has also afforded me the chance to be a voice for others. As a mom of two young adults (and two rescue golden retrievers), I share my own personal experiences living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and now osteoarthritis (OA), but I also advocate for the millions of others living with arthritis and related diseases. As a group, the PLC has discussed such timely topics as access to health care, prescription drug copays, out-of-pocket costs and CBD, and we have reviewed proposals under development by the Arthritis Foundation. We share with each other in a safe, confidential environment and exchange tips, tricks and tears.

The feedback we, as the PLC, provide to the Arthritis Foundation often illuminates, and it always enriches the Foundation’s offerings. The Foundation listens to the diversity of our voices and includes our feedback in its materials and programs. It’s fulfilling to see that we are making a difference. I have learned so much from the other council members and have made friends I can reach out to across the country.

If you have a passion for ensuring diverse voices are heard and are willing to be vulnerable and share your experience, consider being part of the PLC. All are welcome to the table and your lived experience is valued.

Interested in applying to join the Patient Leadership Council (PLC)? Applications are currently open! You can applyHERE. Deadline for application submissions is 11:59 p.m. Oct. 15, 2021. If you are selected for next steps, we will notify you by early to mid-November. Thank you for your interest! And spread the word!

Cristina Schaefer is aChronic Strength Champion，这意味着她不仅控制了自己的痛苦，她还进行了反击。Read to learn how Cristina has found ways to overcome her rheumatoid arthritis.

17年前，当我被诊断出患有类风湿关节炎时，我的生活发生了改变。作为一个一直积极运动的人，这个诊断对我打击很大。有时候，我醒来的时候肘部完全弯曲，或者我站起来的时候膝盖会卡住。经过几年的生物治疗，我可以在大多数日子里几乎没有痛苦地生活、工作和娱乐。

When my husband and I decided to start a family, I had to get off the medication that had kept me active and relatively pain-free for over 10 years. It was a stressful and painful time, but ultimately when our daughter was born, it was so worth it. Within a week of her birth, my RA symptoms came back with a vengeance. All the required and loving tasks as a new mom — holding her, snapping onesies, changing diapers — suddenly became impossible. Soon after, I met with my doctor to start the process of a new treatment plan.

Staying in control

Now, almost five years later, my doctor is still working with me to get me back to the controlled state I was in. Some days are great, others are not so great. All I can do is take each day as it comes and fight. I’ve said that a good measure of control over my arthritis revolved around the ability to give my daughter a bath and braid her hair at night without pain after working a long day.

最近，我服用了一种药物，帮助我重新获得了一些控制。我发现为自己设定目标可以帮助我保持动力，变得更强大。When the Arthritis Foundation launched theVim app，我立即下载了它，并开始跟踪我的进度。在粉碎了我最初的目标后，现在我把我的目标放在新的举重和其他体育活动的目标上，以支持我的身体健康，所以我可以确保我的健康，在未来的许多年里，我的女儿成长。对于关节炎患者来说，很难找到不让人觉得遥不可及的健身资源和目标，而Vim满足了我们和我们的需求。

When I have downtime or periods of rest and recovery between my exercise regimens, I have found getting back to the gym is easier when I use daily affirmations. Lately these include telling myselfI’m doing my best, I believe in myself, all progress is progressandI will listen to my body.

Connecting to resources and the Arthritis Foundation community

In researching pain management and sleep deprivation — the two areas I am often challenged with the most when it comes to my RA symptoms — the Arthritis Foundation has been a crucial resource in finding the helpful information I need. Over the years, this has includedinformative webinars, the生活是的!有关节炎podcast,blog postson the topics,dietary resourcesand, most recently,in-depth information on using CBD帮助缓解疼痛和睡眠不足。我还没有尝试过CBD，但我感觉自己对它有了更多的了解，了解了使用它的方法以及不同方法/应用的优缺点。

Since the beginning of my journey with RA, I have been involved with the Arthritis Foundation through Walk to Cure Arthritis. I have connected with so many helpful resources and met many inspiring and supportive people through this community. This year, I am honored to co-chair theNational Walk to Cure Arthritis把我的想法和激情带到国家层面。当我不忙于社交媒体工作或陪伴家人的时候，我还担任基金会休斯顿领导委员会和患者领导委员会的副主席。

Katie Roberts is aChronic Strength Champion，这意味着她不仅控制了自己的痛苦，她还进行了反击。阅读下面的文章，了解凯蒂是如何克服她的银屑病关节炎的。

When I was 17, I was told I wouldn’t live to see my 21^stbirthday. My immune system and vital organs were taking a hit from the impacts of psoriatic arthritis — a condition I’d already battled for many years.

And over the last three decades, I’ve had no choice but to learn how to not only manage my condition, but also to live a full life. Like a science, I’ve nailed down how to go about an active routine that involves yoga, meditation, photography and regular exercise — even stand-up paddle boarding. It’s not all fun and games, but fortunately, I’ve had support from theArthritis Foundationto help battle against my pain.

Building my pain management toolkit

In my free time, I stay active with yoga, walking, Pilates and stand-up paddle boarding, as well as meditation, acupuncture, massage,guided imageryand aromatherapy for pain management. I’ve found that having several tools in my toolkit — some of which were inspired by thee-book, “60 Ways to Fight and Prevent Pain,”for staying active while managing pain — has been really important in maintaining my health overall.

To everyone living with chronic pain, I recommend using theArthritis Foundation’s tips for making a pain management plan guide开始。这种方法帮助我设定目标并坚持下去，同时允许我在意想不到的痛苦降临时定制我的计划。

For example, on days when I’m in a lot of pain, I know to scale back my yoga or SUP workout or to weave in other supportive measures likeEpsom salt baths和加热垫。拥有各种各样的工具、资源和经过验证的疼痛管理技术，有助于我为任何出现的挑战做好准备，即使这意味着改变我的计划。

Influencing change for good

One of the driving reasons why I’m a patient advocate volunteer with the Arthritis Foundation is the difficult time I went through as a child. At the time, there were no quality medications available to help treat my arthritis and related comorbidities. I want to make sure no one else ever has to experience what I went through in the early treatment stages.

I am so fortunate that today I haveaccess to quality health care以及通过雇主的保险支付的能力。多亏了医学上的创新，我觉得自己获得了人生的第二次机会。我希望每个经历关节炎困难时期的人都能充满希望，他们也能得到第二次机会。

In my volunteer work as an advocate, I meet with legislators to help them understand the wide-reaching impact they make on various health care-related initiatives. It’s empowering to realize how one story — my story — has the power to influence change for good and give others hope. It’s what I love about being a patient advocate and why it’s my life’s mission to continue the work.

作者:Rebecca Gillett, MS OTR/L, Live Yes!有关节炎Podcast Co-host | Sept. 1, 2021

When you live with arthritis, you know pain can be a daily occurrence or a regular state. But this month, Pain Awareness Month, we must raise awareness to others about the debilitating pain arthritis can bring and how it can affect our ability to do the things we want, need and love to do. By raising awareness about arthritis, we can advocate for our health care needs and advance research for better treatments — and eventually a cure.

It’s also a time to take a hard look at what we are actively doing to manage our own arthritis symptoms and revisit our treatment plans for keeping pain at bay. Has the stress of the pandemic gotten your routine off kilter? Are you moving more or less? Has your pain been better or worse? What are you doing to take control?

To be completely honest, I’m not doing enough. The past 18 months feel like a constant battle to just survive each day, struggling to balance work with taking care of my family, staying safe and healthy during a pandemic and actively doing the things I know help me manage my arthritis symptoms. Luckily, for the most part my arthritis pain levels are not so bad right now. My medication is keeping my pain at a very minimal level — thank you, science! — and I am physically functioning pretty well. Mentally, that’s another story that we’ll get to in a later episode.

One thing that has helped me through this crazy COVID-19 pandemic is the practice of mindfulness. And one thing I have NOT been doing enough of is movement. I know, “Practice what you preach, Rebecca.”

Working from home has certainly lowered the number of steps I take each day. My routines are all off. I was doing a good job of walking and stretching at the start of the pandemic, but my stress levels peaked to an all-time high and I just stopped moving as much. Who is with me? Please tell me I’m not alone.

Recording this episode,Mindful Movement, Part 1: Tai Chi它很好地提醒我，我需要多活动活动。我可以把我所学到的正念技巧融入到运动中，重新变得更加活跃。无论我是否感到疼痛，太极都是一种很好的运动方式，以一种温柔、专注的方式。

Our guest expert, Dr. Paul Lam, the creator of theTai Chi for ArthritisProgram，是一名家庭医生，在太极领域的世界领导者，以改善健康。 仅仅是他舒缓的声音就让我和搭档主持人朱莉放松了下来，给我们混乱、疯狂的一天带来了一种平静的感觉。他从小就患有关节炎的个人经历令人难以置信地鼓舞人心。他帮助关节炎患者的热情是有感染力的。他已经帮助全球数百万人学习太极来治疗关节炎，所以我知道他能帮助你。

Tune in to this Tai Chi episodeto learn more about the practice, the research behind its benefits and how you can get started right away. I’m new to this practice and just getting started. Join me on this journey and let’s get mindfully moving together.