The Importance of Spreading Osteoarthritis Awareness
Over 43 million Americans suffer from arthritis, and OA is the most prevalent form of arthritis. There is a huge demand to raise awareness for this condition for a few reasons:
- OA is the most common cause of disability in US, and the incidence of this condition is increasing every year.
- There are still many misconceptions that don’t allow others to better understand this condition – for example, many people still think that OA is a disease of an old age, although children can also be affected.
- Some believe that you just have to live with it, and there is nothing you can do to feel better. In contrast, you’ll come across some commercials that would tell you to take a pill or two and get instant relief, creating the image that OA is more or less a minor condition. Yet, at the end of the day, OA can have a significant impact on your day to day living, your career, your wallet, and can also affect your mental/emotional health.
How to Raise Awareness About OA
Many of us became aware about Parkinson’s disease after the well known actor Michael J. Fox became a spokesperson and brought media attention to the condition. Meanwhile, very few well known persons are supporting OA, and their voices are less heard.
But if you start taking action, other people will follow. The more people who get involved, the more likely people will come to understand what OA is.
So how can you become an advocate for osteoarthritis awareness? Make a plan.
Think about something you are passionate about. Do you think the main issue is the high cost of prescription drugs, and the fact that many people cannot afford the drugs? Do you think more OA research would help scientists find better solutions to prevent and manage OA? How about raising money to help educate people all around the word about OA?
The Arthritis Foundation is the largest non-profit contributor to arthritis-related research in the world and the best source to get more information about how to raise awareness about OA. To date, they have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in research, and established the agenda for communicating the needs of arthritic suffers to Congress. They also host various events and programs to promote awareness and raise funds.
You can use AF website to raise awareness on OA in few different ways. Click on “Get Involved" and see if you can participate in one or more of the fundraisers created by AF – for example, Walk to Cure Arthritis or one of the dinners or galas.
Another option would be to donate money to AF to help them continue to do their good work. Donations can be done on a monthly basis or one time.
If you are not sure how to start, simply contact AF and ask them what you have to do-step by step – to bring more awareness to OA. Start taking action today!