SAVE THE DATE - Leadership Training Program to Help People with Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain
The NFMCPA is pleased to celebrate September as Pain Awareness Month by announcing its 5th Leaders Against Pain Training Program:
Dream, Believe, Lead
Do you dream of a better future for people with fibromyalgia (FM) and chronic pain?
Do you believe one is possible?
Will you lead with us to achieve this dream?
The National Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain Association (NFMCPA) is hosting the 5th Leader’s Against Pain Training program November 6-9, 2012, at the Marriott Renaissance Hotel in Washington, DC. The program teaches skills for leading an effective support group and advocating on behalf of people with FM and overlapping conditions. Course presenters include Amye Leong, President and CEO of Healthy Motivation, NFMCPA Founder and President Jan Chambers, NFMCPA Vice Presidents Sharon Waldrop and z, and Leaders Against Pain Director Cindy Sharp. Up to 20 successful applicants will be awarded a financial scholarship to attend the successful and popular training program free.
Much like diabetes and heart disease, people with fibromyalgia, overlapping conditions, or chronic pain need to make lifestyle changes to manage their health. This empowering knowledge can lead to people requiring less medication, experiencing fewer symptoms, and improving their quality of life (BlogTalkRadio, NFMCPA, 01/13/2012). In addition, becoming an educated health consumer reduces the individual’s health care expenditures and results in fewer visits to the doctor and emergency room (US Department of Health and Human Services). “It is vital that people with fibromyalgia become better educated on how to manage their health and know where to find the best resources for treatment and understanding,” says National Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain Association President Jan Favero Chambers. “Leaders Against Pain trains advocates to work in local communities to provide this information, raise general fibromyalgia awareness in the community and work within policymaking circles to advocate on behalf of people living with fibromyalgia. I am a Leaders Against Pain graduate, and the program gave me the start I needed for a successful career in advocacy.”
Leaders Against Pain trains FM support group leaders and advocates in media, advocacy, and leadership for working with their local support and education groups. Development and execution of awareness events are also presented. Leaders learn the basics of public/community relations and how to target a message for a particular audience (including legislators), including promotion of their local awareness events and how to stay on message during a media interview.
Course highlights include:
- Leadership training skills
- Patient access to care issues
- Overview of current FM therapies and treatments
- State of FM research
- Improving doctor/patient relationships
- Awareness and issues surrounding FM and overlapping disorders
- Social media training
- Media and advocacy training (beginning and intermediate skill levels)
- Political advocacy implementation (on Capitol Hill, letter writing campaigns, state initiatives, etc.)
- Institute of Medicine report Relieving Pain in America: A Blueprint for Transforming Prevention, Care, Education and Research
- Overview of NFMCPA programs and how leaders can implement programs in their areas and become NFMCPA affiliates
- Understanding the Leaders Against Pain Coalition
Upon completion of the training program participants will become members of the Leaders Against Pain Coalition (LAPC). The Coalition is the advocacy arm of the National Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain Association (NFMCPA). The mission of the Coalition is to represent and advocate on behalf of people affected by fibromyalgia and overlapping conditions on critical issues including the right to good health and a high quality of life. The Coalition also provides Leaders the opportunity for networking, peer and NFMCPA support, and ongoing training opportunities.
In the ten months following the training, program participants will be required to attend four webinars (“in person” or archived) and launch a minimum of one program of their choosing. (A program could be a support group, letter writing campaign, awareness day activity, etc.)
More information, including the scholarship application, will be available at www.fmcpaware.org/lap-application. (After September 5, 2012, please log in or register to access the application.) Leaders Against Pain 2012 is sponsored by Purdue Pharma L.P., the Fibromyalgia Association of Michigan, the Utah Fibromyalgia Association, and Health E U Coaching.
The National Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain Association was founded in 2010 by Jan Favero Chambers, who was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 2006. The mission of the National Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain Association is to unite the patient and healthcare community to work for a cure and improve the quality of life for people with chronic pain from fibromyalgia and overlapping conditions by having a united voice and active role in healthcare, advocacy and research.
SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION RULES AND DEADLINE:
The scholarship is open to new and existing support/education group leaders & advocates in the United States. Candidates must own or have access to a computer, have internet access after the training, and be able to attend the entire program. All submissions to NFMCPA’s 2012 LAP Scholarships must be received by Wednesday, October 3, 2012, at 11:59 pm EST. All scholarship winners will be chosen by NFMCPA’s staff and notified by email or U.S. Postal mail on or before October 5, 2012.
For application requirements and more information, go to the National Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain Association website at www.fmcpaware.org. Applicants may also contact NFMCPA Vice President of Education Sharon Waldrop by email: LAP@fmcpaware.org or by phone: 248-885-4673.
Return to Leaders Against Pain Scholarship Program Requirements
Return to Leaders Against Pain Scholarship Application
