Image: Shutterstock/ Africa Studio
Dealing with arthritis can seem impossible to do on your own. Luckily, there are a lot of places you can go to get some help. And one of the best places out there is the Arthritis Foundation. If you haven’t checked out their website yet, you really should. After all, they have a lot of really great resources that you can use to help manage your arthritis.
And the Foundation itself actually does a lot to help lead the fight against arthritis. So what exactly is the Arthritis Foundation and what do they do to help. Finally, what sort of resources do they provide?
What Is The Arthritis Foundation?
The Arthritis Foundation was founded back in 1948 as a way to help promote the research into a cure for arthritis. Since then, they’ve expanded across the nation to help organize funding for research and awareness of the condition.
In addition, they focus heavily on lobbying law makers, seeking to encourage them to put more resources into the quest for a cure. Every year, they host an advocacy summit where they invite people with arthritis to attend a meeting in Washington, D.C. There they can share their stories about how arthritis has affected their lives with the people who decide where federal research dollars should be spent.
And the foundation also hosts several community events designed to help raise awareness within the local area and encourage people with arthritis to get moving. These events include things like the nationwide Walk to Cure Arthritis.
So there are a lot of ways that the Foundation works to cure arthritis and plenty of opportunities to get involved if you are interested. But even if you’re not, there are still a number of other services the Foundation provides through its website that you might find valuable.
What Resources Do They Have?
To begin with, if you have a question about arthritis, you can almost certainly find the answer at arthritis.org, the Foundation’s website. They have a huge collection of information on everything arthritis. There are articles detailing basic facts about the condition, diets, and hundreds of different ways to treat arthritis. And that’s great because, like with all diseases, information is your best tool when it comes to fighting arthritis.
And the Foundation even provides the tools you need to put this information into practice. Their website includes a section that details arthritis friendly exercise plans. These can help you stay fit and healthy in spite of arthritis. And if you ever feel like it’s just too much to handle you can always call them. The Foundation provides an arthritis hotline that you can call for tips, information on anything arthritis, or even just encouragement.
But the Foundation does a lot more than that. They also have dozens of resources that can help you find vital services for arthritis in your area. The Foundation’s website has a resource finder application that lists services in your area. And it’s incredibly easy to use. First, you simply enter your city and zip code. Then, the application searches your area for resources. It then provides you with a list of doctors who specialize in arthritis, exercise programs, and community support groups.
It’s an easy way to find everything you need to manage your arthritis without having to even leave home.
Finally, one of the most empowering ways to fight any illness is to give back to the community. Taking the step to get involved in the fight against your illness and help others who suffer is huge. It gives you the sense that you aren’t just a passive victim anymore, you’re fighting back. And the Arthritis Foundation has a number of great ways that you can do that. Their website lists volunteer opportunities broken down by the local area. In addition, it has a lot of information about their various national efforts if you want to get involved that way.
You can even help by contributing your story of living with arthritis. The Foundation’s advocacy work requires raising awareness of what a horrible disease arthritis is. And your story of how arthritis has affected your life can help them do that.
Finally, the Foundation hosts a number of charity events like galas and walks that help raise funds for research. And you can find a huge list of ways to get involved with events on their website.
The important thing when it comes to arthritis is to be active. That means staying active physically but mentally as well. Why not take the time to get involved? And the Foundation can give you the tools to do that.
Comments