By: Janet Yale, President and CEO, The Arthritis Society

It comes as a surprise to many when they hear that the number of Canadians living with arthritis will balloon from 4.6 million today to 7.5 million by 2036. That’s one in five in about 20 years.

The numbers are stark and the individual stories that lie behind those numbers are equally compelling.   In my role, I have the privilege to speak with people across Canada about the impact of arthritis in their lives.  I think of the grandmother who can’t lift her grandson due to arthritis in her hands or the office worker who “retired” early due to chronic and unmanageable pain.

It is because of these stories – and many more that are untold – that I’m very excited to join forces with CARP to share resources and create awareness of the issues that bind us together.

So who is The Arthritis Society and what can we offer to CARP members?

• We are a national organization with offices coast-to-coast.
• arthritis.ca has a host of information about arthritis, its symptoms and treatment options. We have an Ask the Expert section where you can interact with our volunteer healthcare professionals and a community board where you can engage with others on a variety of arthritis-related topics.
• Two of our most popular community events include public forums and chronic pain management workshops. Call us at 1-800-321-1433 to find your local office and to learn about our education events.
• The Arthritis Society hosts a number of fundraising events designed to bring the arthritis community together. The Walk to Fight Arthritis takes place on June 5 in 26 cities and raises over $1 million to fund arthritis research, programs and services.
• If you are feeling social, please connect with us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. You can also stay in touch through Impact, our e-newsletter, that is distributed every other month.

On behalf of all of us at The Arthritis Society, we look forward to seeing you soon.  Happy Holidays to you and yours!