Despite challenges often faced when traveling with a chronic pain condition, 19 advocates and a handful of caregivers rallied together in Dallas, TX, for a U.S. Pain Foundation Advocacy Summit. The goal was to help people with pain understand how they can take action at the state and federal level and influence positive change for the pain community. Participants were selected to attend because of their exceptional efforts to engage and speak out about pain in the past.
Interim CEO Nicole Hemmenway was one of three keynote speakers at the closing session of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) national convention last weekend in Indianapolis, IN.
In her talk, “Massage for Chronic Pain: What our community wants you to know,” Hemmenway shared her personal journey with complex regional pain syndrome and why she’s dedicated herself to helping others with pain through the U.S. Pain Foundation. She gave attendees a glimpse into the programs and services U.S. Pain offers, and provided insight into the scope of the chronic pain health crisis in America.
U.S. Pain Foundation offers its free programs and services thanks to donations and grants. That’s why the organization is especially grateful when volunteers step up to raise funding!
The last few months have been particularly busy with a range of fundraisers–including a trivia night, headshot booth, wrap and pizza sale, haunted driveway, and golf outing. Each event demonstrates how unique and creative fundraisers can be.
Yesterday, Cindy Steinberg, National Director of Policy and Advocacy, and two fellow advocates who live with pain, Debbie and Scott, testified at the Massachusetts State House at a hearing on Senate Bill 1262. The bill would amend the state’s existing Patient Rights Law to require the assessment and management of pain in health care facilities.
Pain assessment and management in a health care setting should be a basic right of all citizens without discrimination. Currently, 19 states have this right in statute.
Pain Connection, U.S. Pain Foundation’s network of support groups, has added two in-person support groups: one in Iowa and the other in Maine.
The Iowa group will have its first meeting on Dec. 19. It will be led by LaSheila Yates, who attended Pain Connection’s most recent chronic pain support group training this September.
The Maine group is a longstanding group run by Ernie Merritt, which will now be associated with U.S. Pain Foundation. The next meeting will be Nov. 7.
Each November, U.S. Pain Foundation organizes a month-long educational campaign for the pain community. Recognizing that art and writing can help kids and adults cope with and/or express chronic pain and its effects on their lives, this year’s KNOWvember campaign will focus on creativity.
During the month, titled “Art through Pain: How Creativity Helps Us Cope,” U.S. Pain will be:
Media Contact
Andrea Obston
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(860) 243-1447 (office)
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MIDDLETOWN, CT, October 29, 2019 – The former CEO of the U.S. Pain Foundation, Paul Gileno, was sentenced today to a year and one day of imprisonment. This sentencing was in connection with Gileno’s guilty plea in the District of Connecticut on June 17, 2019, to wire fraud and tax evasion, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343 and 26 U.S.C. 7201. A restitution order will be imposed by the Court in the coming weeks.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) opened a Request for Information (RFI) to solicit input into the development of an Action Plan on the opioid crisis and the treatment of acute and chronic pain as specified in the SUPPORT Act.
The deadline for comment was Oct. 11.
National Director of Policy and Advocacy Cindy Steinberg submitted on behalf of U.S. Pain Foundation, outlining 10 recommendations for ways CMS could improve pain care.
Are you a baseball fan?
During the New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins game this Saturday at 5:05 pm on Fox Sports, announcer Ken Rosenthal will be rocking a very special bowtie featuring the U.S. Pain logo in honor of the Pediatric Pain Warrior Program. He’ll also say a few words about the program, which offers retreats, educational events, awareness efforts, and more for children with pain and their families.