Invisible Illness Week is a Time to Thrive
Nearly 1 in 2 Americans has a chronic condition, and despite what we may assume, 60% of those who live with daily illness or pain are between the ages of 18 and 64. The majority of chronic illness is invisible, including the millions of people who currently live with cancer and the millions who suffer the side effects of cancer treatment.
Sand Diego, CA (PRWEB) June 23, 2005 -- September 12-18, 2005 is National
Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week. The theme is "Choose to Thrive, Not
Just Survive!” It is a major public awareness campaign sponsored by Rest
Ministries, an organization that offers a supportive environment for those who
live with chronic illness or pain.
“Living with an illness that is
invisible to those around us can often have a more devastating affect on our
emotional health than the physical pain,” explains Lisa Copen, 36, founder of
Rest Ministries who lives with rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia. “Each day
we must choose to thrive, to do something out of the ordinary, or make a new
friend. It’s easy to get in the habit of living a life of
survival.”
Copen is the author of a new book, Beyond Casseroles: 505 Ways
to Encourage a Chronically Ill Friend. “Part of our campaign is to encourage
people to ‘care enough to be informed,” says Copen. “Just because someone isn’t
using a wheelchair doesn’t mean that she doesn’t have a disability. Friends and
family of those with chronic illness care a great deal about what their loved
ones are going through, but oftentimes the invisibility of the illness sets up
an environment for misunderstandings and even doubt about the validity of the
illness. We hope to increase awareness of how many people ‘look great’ but are
hurting deeply.”
Outreach includes various events: the distribution of
free literature such as a brochure, When a Friend Has a Chronic Illness: What to
Say, How to Help. Other resources include But You Look So Good: A Guide to
Understanding and Encouraging People With Chronic, Debilitating Illness and
Pain. Churches and organizations across the U.S. will be participating by in
having people share their stories. T-shirt, bumper stickers and other
promotional items are available. Special chat guests will be online. For a
complete list of events and resources visit www.invisibleillness.com or call 888-751-7378.
“The
feeling of knowing that one’s illness and pain is acknowledged can have a great
impact on how a person copes with living with illness,” says Copen. “We hope
that by recognizing people with illness rarely feel as good as they look, they
will begin to feel better understood, leading them to a more invigorating
life!”
Interesting fact: HopeKeepers Magazine is published by the sponsor
of Rest Ministries. It’s the only Christian consumer magazine specifically
written for people in chronic pain.
www.hopekeepersmagazine.com
Book info: Beyond Casseroles:
505 Ways to Encourage a Chronically Ill Friend; Author: Lisa Copen; dimensions:
4.25 x 7 in.; 94 pages; Rest Ministries Publishers 2005; ISBN
0-9716600-6-9.
*(Chronic Care in America: A 21st Century Challenge, a study
of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.).
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/6/prweb254090.htm