Commitment to a Cure

The Southern Colorado Office of the Arthritis Foundation Rocky Mountain Chapter is only a few weeks away from our First Annual Commitment to a Cure Luncheon. This year’s lunch is being held at the Crowne Plaza – Colorado Springs on Thursday, March 12 from 12:00pm – 1:00pm. We are anticipating over 150 attendees who will hopefully be inspired to give and help move the Arthritis Foundation mission forward.

This year’s lunch will feature Dr. Ron Royce from Front Range Orthopaedics speaking about how to manage your arthritis and how to know when it might be time for surgery. Also, guests of this event will hear from Kris Harty, a woman living with Arthritis, who likes to tell people despite what she was told growing up after her diagnosis; “she did it anyway.” And last but not least, the group will hear from Kara Gramlich. Kara is a senior at Lewis Palmer High School in Monument, Colorado; she was diagnosed with arthritis when she 10 years old. Her diagnosis did not stop her, but inspired her to move more and reach out to others with Arthritis.

If you have more questions or would like to attend, please contact Cary Bement-Kelly at 719-520-5711 or cbement@arthritis.org.

Springing into Motion

The Arthritis Foundation has launched its movement initiative in tandem with our fundraising Walk-a-Thons nationwide – entitled, Let’s Move Together. Move. Physical. Progressive. Forward. Let’s Move Together. Join us as we launch our first annual Virtual Walk in Bozeman, MT. The first of its kind in the Rocky Mountain Region, the Arthritis Foundation’s Rocky Mountain Chapter has listened to our constituents and is responding to the economic crisis impacting each of us by creating a cost-effective fundraiser in place of it’s more traditional 5k walk. The Bozeman Virtual Walk will open on May 1, 2009 as the nation kicks off National Arthritis Awareness Month.

Participants in the Bozeman (and region) area will simply need to register (as they have done in the past) at www.virtualwalk.kintera.bozeman.org, create their personal fundraising page and begin utilizing the plethora of social media outlets to begin raising much needed money to continue our work to improve lives through leadership in the prevention, control and cure of arthritis and related diseases. Contact Tara Roesener, Director of Event Development for the Rocky Mountain Chapter with any questions, ideas or great fundraising stories!

How is your pain tolerance?

I was diagnosed with a cervical vertebrae that basically has lost all the fluid, deterioration of the bone, and pressing into the spinal cord. I found that analgesics were just not cutting the mustard! I had a flare-up with the injury which led to excruciating pain. I phoned the Neurosurgeon’s office and they in turn prescribed prednisone and a muscle relaxer. Well, try functioning on those two drugs! Ha.. However, the medications worked well enough for me to return to work within a couple of days. I’ve realized from the experience that I really want to be able to function without the use of pain medication and that moist heat and long walks do help the anxiety, which in turn reduces the pain.

I also decided to try an alternative mode of relief. I visited an acupuncturist and let me tell you; I slept ten hours after the treatment and felt like a new person the next day free of pain. I know I will continue to see the acupuncturist as this was the best I’d felt in over a month.

There are so many alternatives to reducing arthritic pain. I think that what works best for one person does not always work for another. I feel that in today’s vast array of medical treatments that sometimes the “old school” of treatment works best.

Plenty of rest, exercise, water, moist heat and perhaps trying an alternative form of treatment as I did could work for you too.

Let me know what your thoughts are and please share with me your experiences.

Family

At the Arthritis Foundation’s Commitment to a Cure luncheon in November 2008 my daughters, Norma and Julie, and I presented how arthritis affected our lives. In December, the three of us volunteered at the Denver Jingle Bell Run. We had a great time working at the incentive booth, giving awards for extra donations. Although it was very cold, we met a lot of people who braved the weather and turned out to walk or run to benefit the Arthritis Foundation. Norma’s RA continues to be under control. Julie’s fractured kneecap is healing, although surgery to repair a torn meniscus is still questionable.

We are well into 2009 now and like everyone else I have committed to making changes to better my health. I am concentrating on a healthy eating program. I was successful in avoiding most of the goodies in front of me through the holidays. With my daughter Norma, I have gone back to the water aerobics class twice a week. I could really feel the difference in my knee and hip when not utilizing the warm water exercise for two weeks, proof that the exercise promoted by the Arthritis Foundation works!!!

This is going to be a challenging year for the Arthritis Foundation. I know that our dedicated staff and wonderful volunteers will make it a successful year.

Join the Movement!

Come check out www.letsmovetogether.org and take a minute to sign-up. It's free and it's a great start to a healthier you in 2009. Come see what that movements all about! :)

Or if you just want to try something new...come check out one of our walks this spring!

The Arthritis Walk is the Arthritis Foundation's nationwide walk event that raises awareness and funds to fight arthritis, the nation's most common cause of disability. The event takes place during the month of May in conjunction with National Arthritis Month.

May 2, 2009 at Bozeman Ponds in Bozeman Montana starting at 11am.
OR
May 2, 2009 at America The Beautiful Park in Colorado Springs starting at 11am.
OR
May 17, 2009 at Washington Park in Denver starting at 11am.

You can sign-up at www.rockymountainarthrits.org. So come show your support and walk to a healthier you.

Don’t close the book…a New chapter has just begun!

This week marks the beginning of a chapter in the history of the world as our nation reaches out to one another to build a positive and optimistic future. New partnerships will be formed as people work together for a common goal…a goal that seeks to strengthen family, friends, neighbors, and the whole community. The Arthritis Foundation finds pride in serving the nation, as we touch people’s lives locally. For nearly sixty years and twelve sitting presidents, the Rocky Mountain Chapter has formed partnerships that seek to bring comfort, knowledge, and guidance to those living with arthritis. With out the support of people like you, we would fall short of our mission to “improve lives through leadership in the prevention, control and cure of arthritis and related diseases”. Investing in the Foundation is an investment in people around you. Can you help us grow as a nation and as a community? Do you have some time, talents, or resources that you would like to share? Let us know if you would like to assist in building a more positive and optimistic future. We have many more chapters to turn together. Talk to you soon partner!

What's Your Dream?

On Monday, January 19, 2009 the country will be celebrating the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. Since 1994 this holiday has been a national Day of Service. This year there will be thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds joining together to strengthen communities, empower individuals and bridge barriers in our country.

Thousands of people with one goal, to willingly give of their time to bring about a positive change for someone or something else. Think of the possibilities if this wasn’t just one day a year but instead, once a month or once a week. We have an incredible opportunity to be a catalyst for change. It’s an opportunity that could truly change our communities and the country. I’d love to hear how you’ll be recognizing this day, you can email your plans to volunteer, donate funds or help someone carry their groceries to jlysengen@arthritis.org.