At U.S. Pain Foundation, we deeply believe in the power of sharing patient stories. Talking about our experiences with pain helps us to educate others, to create change, and to offer hope. That’s why our theme for Pain Awareness Month 2019, which begins Sunday, is #LetsTalkAboutPain.
This year, we have dozens of opportunities for you to help bring pain to the forefront of public conversations, ranging from our daily storyathon to social media giveaways to weekly events.
All of these activities are presented in collaboration with our generous sponsor, Thrive Tape, the creator of an innovative, far-infrared kinesiology tape for all types of musculoskeletal conditions and injuries. (We encourage you to check them out! Use the code USPAIN for a discount.)
How you can participate
We have something for everyone! Most activities are online, which means you can take part from the comfort of your home.
Storyathon. Each day in September, U.S. Pain will be sharing a video story of a real person living with pain. These individuals-from all across the country-bravely submitted their personal stories in August to help create awareness. To watch the videos, follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Missed the video storyathon deadline? Share your written story.
Educational events. Events include: “Talking publicly about pain: A Q&A with Ed Coghlan of National Pain Report,” on Sept. 5 at 1 pm EST, “Expression and movement: A dance class for chronic pain,” on Sept. 10 at 8 pm EST, “Becoming Incurable: A Q&A with Film Director Victoria Suan” on Sept. 17 at 1 pm EST, and more. Get details and register.
Social media challenge & giveaways. Each day, we’ll be posting a daily task across our social media channels. On certain days, participation will enter you to win awesome prizes, including: kinesio tape from our presenting sponsor, Thrive Tape; pain relief devices from Quell; Oska; and Enso; and a copy of the book, “Taming Chronic Pain.” Learn more.
Profile frame. Social media is an easy tool for generating awareness. For a quick way to call attention to pain, customize your Facebook or Twitter profile picture with our Pain Awareness Month frame, featuring this year’s campaign theme, #LetsTalkAboutPain. Keep it up throughout the month of September–or even beyond–and encourage others to do the same.
Resources & materials toolkit. U.S. Pain has launched a toolkit of downloadable and/or printable materials–including a chronic pain infographic, Pain Awareness Month flyers, social media graphics, sample social media posts, and more–to help you spread the word about chronic pain in your local community and online. Access the toolkit here.
Public awareness efforts. U.S. Pain volunteers have been busy obtaining government proclamations, getting buildings and landmarks to light up in blue on Sept. 13, having locations decorated in blue, organizing wear blue days on Sept. 27, and more. To see these efforts in action, subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
The above is just a sampling of opportunities to engage. To learn more about all Pain Awareness Month 2019 activities, visit our website.
Let’s start talking!
Remember: pain may be silent. But we don’t have to be.
Thank you for working with us to create change for our community. If you have any questions about getting involved, please email us!