DO YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW SUFFER WITH CHRONIC PAIN?

Chronic Pain is currently a segment that is not recognized by society as having its own particular challenges and needs. Long thought to be primarily psychological in nature, it has only been the last few years that doctors have come to recognize Chronic Pain as its own disease ; this debilitating illness often results in non- stop pain that prevents persons from engaging in normal day to day activities , causing them to leave the work force earlier than desired, fracturing the nuclear family and burdening society. Patients experience isolation, depression and anxiety, as a secondary result of primary pain.

The OMA (Ontario Medical Association) has launched an urgent and far reaching media campaign identifying budget cuts by the government to health care costs and treatment. They recently reported in local media that 800,000 Ontarians currently DO NOT HAVE A GP/FAMILY DOCTOR and that budget constraints to healthcare staff and overhead are making it near to impossible to service Ontarians in a qualitative and timely manner.

People suffering with Chronic Pain make up 25% of the entire population of Canada. By the year 2020 Chronic Pain is anticipated to reach one in three Canadians. At present doctors receive, on average, a total of 17 hours training in Chronic Pain care. Medical Research in Chronic Pain receives less than 1% of every $0.25 targeted towards ALL medical research in Canada and yet it is by far the fastest growing disease in North America; it outnumbers Cancer, Heart Disease and Diabetes combined. Pain patients use up so much energy managing their disease, they have little left over for advocacy. Those who suffer from Chronic Pain report feeling shunned and marginalized, as it is largely an invisible disability. We intend to address this by publicly making our demographic VISIBLE through interfacing with media and ACTION.

This concerns us greatly as pain patients and activists. Every day people become part of the exponentially growing segment of healthcare consumers who seek care for Chronic Pain (currently 7 million people Canada-wide). The OMA estimates this segment will grow further with approximately 140,000 additional Ontarians annually over the next few years. Aging boomers will require long term treatment for pain conditions that involve many kinds of interventions and support- including knee / hip replacement surgeries plus recovery and therapy afterwards.

The current healthcare system, as it stands, is not equipped to adequately deal with the growing number of people suffering with Chronic Pain. There are several issues specifically problematic for our community:

1) Training for treating Chronic Pain is inadequate.

2) Doctors and healthcare professionals who specifically treat Chronic Pain are disrespected, underfunded and scrutinized.

3) The OHIP system does not support delivery of best practice and efforts to de-list various useful treatments for people suffering with Chronic Pain has made things more difficult and hopeless.

We have an epidemic on our hands; millions of mistreated sufferers and an already failing system will continue to suffer because we lack an intact foundation and comprehensive plan of how to deal with what Ontario is facing in relationship to the urgent social issue of Chronic Pain. 

We need the same attention other serious health problems receive in the province of Ontario. 

We require reform to the health care system that facilitates delivery of best practice.

We need clinics and services that understand what Chronic Pain is and how to treat it across Ontario without the scrutiny that current health care professionals face.

We need an attitudinal shift that comes in the form of support for people suffering with Chronic Pain. We believe this shift can be fostered through educational initiatives and training protocols for the general public, employers and health care workers.

We need change before another life is lost or damaged severely at the hand of Chronic Pain and a healthcare system that does not support our community.

Please sign our petition to begin the process of change we so desperately need! Please make Chronic Pain visible and help us Give Pain a Voice!

 

Brought to you by Give Pain a Voice and Invisible Disability Canada:

Tina Petrova Founder GIVE PAIN A VOICE is an award winning filmmaker and a Chronic Pain patient and activist in the field of long term Pain. She has spoken at the United Nations, C.A.M.H., TEDx, Ronald McDonald house and Gilda's club, among others. Tina is the creator of CHRONIC PAIN TV, a popular web based channel focusing on Chronic Pain and moderator of several Social media sites promoting Chronic Pain advocacy. Pandemic of Denial, a new documentary in development by Tina, intends to revolutionize the way society sees and responds to Chronic Pain.

Yanekah Jacobs (Invisible Disability Canada) graduated with honours from the Women & Gender Studies program at York University, where she investigated and exposed various issues related to Chronic Pain. Currently pursuing a Master's Degree in the Critical Disability Studies program, Yanekah's advocacy focuses on both the lived experience of people suffering with chronic pain, and their caregivers. Her research evaluates the social, political and structural issues related to these experiences, in an effort to increase education ignite attitudinal reform and encourage better health care options and practice for those living with Chronic Illness.

Media inquiries please contact 416 4677684 (GIve Pain A Voice non profit)