DENVER, CO (March 19, 2021)–The largest nonprofit for people with pain, U.S. Pain Foundation is proud to announce Denver’s own Linda Shaw as the 2020 recipient of the Joselynn Badman Ambassador of the Year. This prestigious annual award is given to a U.S. Pain volunteer who has gone above and beyond to make a positive impact on the chronic pain community.
“It is my absolute honor to recognize Linda,” says Nicole Hemmenway, CEO of U.S. Pain Foundation. “Chronic pain is among the costliest and most pervasive problems facing our health care system. It also is surrounded by a lot of stigma. Despite the challenges, Linda is always willing to use her voice to advocate for the 50 million Americans who live with daily pain.”
Shaw has lived with osteoarthritis and spinal cord issues for the last 10 years. She is in so much pain that, at times, she has had difficulty walking and has had multiple corrective surgeries. Despite her physical limitations and the emotional toll they take, Shaw has completely reinvented herself, including publishing a book of poetry about pain, discovering a career in voiceover acting, which allows the flexibility her health requires, and working as a staunch advocate for patients like her.
Through her volunteerism, Shaw consistently shares her story as a way to provide hope. She was featured as one of 10 patient profiles in U.S. Pain Foundation’s INvisible Project magazine in 2019; just last month, her story was published in an article through MediaPlanet. She regularly speaks about pain at events with U.S. Pain and in her local community. She sits on U.S. Pain’s Disparities Solutions Advisory Council, a team of top advocates focused on better addressing disparities in health care. She is also trained as an advocate, taking action on policy issues and encouraging others to do the same.
“I am honored to get this recognition—ecstatic actually!” says Shaw. “I know there are many volunteers out there advocating for the same outcomes within the U.S. Pain Foundation. It pleases me to know the work I’ve done has been beneficial to chronic pain patients! We care about the public we serve, and I know that because the U.S. Pain Foundation is an organization created by people with pain to help other people with pain. The mission is an extension of our greater selves, fighting for each other through advocacy, education, and support!”
The Joselynn Badman Ambassador of the Year is named after a beloved volunteer that died in 2015. To learn more about the award and about U.S. Pain, visit uspainfoundation.org.
About U.S. Pain Foundation
The mission of the U.S. Pain Foundation is to empower, educate, connect, and advocate for individuals living with chronic illness that causes pain, as well as their caregivers and clinicians. Its programs and services include a national network of support groups, educational resources and events, a pediatric program for children and their families, federal advocacy efforts, an awareness magazine called the INvisible Project, and more. The U.S. Pain Foundation is a 501(3)(c) nonprofit organization. For more information, visit www.uspainfoundation.org.