Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback and rheumatoid arthritis patient Terry Bradshaw will serve as the ACR’s official spokesperson for Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month in September.
Continually building awareness and understanding of rheumatic diseases is critical to both our profession and patient care, according to Kelly Weselman, MD, a rheumatologist in Smyrna, Ga., and a passionate advocate involved in planning the ACR’s annual Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month (RDAM).
“Unlike cancer patients, whose disease is well known, patients battling a rheumatic disease encounter unique challenges related to educating family and friends and, in some cases, even employers, insurance companies, physicians and others who [may] be less familiar with rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, gout and the 100+ lesser-known rheumatic diseases that fall under the umbrella term of arthritis,” Dr. Weselman says. “Highlighting these rheumatic diseases as a group serves to increase public awareness, which we hope can lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment that can directly impact and ideally lessen a patient’s manifestation and severity of a rheumatic disease.”
September 2017 marks the second-annual RDAM. Sponsored by ACR and Simple Tasks (the ACR’s public awareness campaign), the ultimate aim for RDAM 2017 is to increase public understanding and awareness of the symptoms, risk factors, treatment options, personal and economic impact, and lifestyle and healthcare challenges associated with rheumatic diseases.
Terry Bradshaw prepares to shoot a public service announcement for Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month at his ranch in Thackerville, Okla.
Join the Conversation
With the theme, Hundreds of Diseases. One Voice., RDAM 2017 brings together providers, patients and other rheumatic disease advocates to speak with one voice to improve the public’s understanding of rheumatic diseases, and advance the health and wellbeing of millions of Americans living with rheumatic diseases. “This voice is only as strong as each provider talking to their patients about RDAM and each patient with a rheumatic disease spreading awareness of rheumatic diseases within their community,” Dr. Weselman says.
Terry Bradshaw, surrounded by members of the ACR communications team, John Schmidt (left), Erin Schmidt and Joan Roth.
All concerned individuals and organizations, including rheumatologists and rheumatology health professionals, patients, patient organizations, medical professional groups, lawmakers, members of the media, and friends and family members of those affected by rheumatic diseases are encouraged to participate in RDAM 2017.
NFL Hall of Famer Speaks Out
One well-known person who plays an important role in RDAM 2017 is sports commentator and former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw. Mr. Bradshaw lives with rheumatoid arthritis and is speaking out to educate the public with the message, “You don’t have to be an athlete to have sore joints!” Mr. Bradshaw’s message helps call out the common misconception that arthritis is merely the aches and pains of getting older, Dr. Weselman explains. Through a series of public service announcements that are being aired nationally and online throughout the month of September, Mr. Bradshaw also discusses the connection between arthritis and injury, and the importance of seeking early intervention and treatment from a rheumatologist.
What You Can Do
Here are several ways you can join in the collective voice to raise awareness during RDAM 2017:
- Visit the ACR’s Simple Tasks website, and check out the wealth of Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month resources you can tap into.
- Speak up on social media by using #RDAM, and show solidarity by using the RDAM profile and cover photo graphics. The ACR also encourages you to use the sample social media posts in the RDAM toolkit on your personal and/or your institution’s social media pages.
- Share the public service announcement you’ll find in the toolkit on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.
- With easy-to-use templates and instructions, you can write letters to the editor of your local newspaper and write to legislators to help educate the public about rheumatic diseases.
- Print RDAM 2017 fliers and post them in every exam room as a convenient way to help patients understand how they can use their voice to join the conversation for greater public awareness of their rheumatic disease.
- Encourage your patients to take the Joint IQ quiz.
- Encourage your patients and colleagues to visit RDAM.org to find all the activities, resources and tools available to participate in RDAM 2017.
Dr. Weselman says the ACR will be taking every opportunity each day in September to speak to members, their patients, legislators and healthcare policy advocates to make the most of RDAM 2017. She hopes providers will start planning now and encourage their patients to do the same.
“People with rheumatic diseases are their own best advocates,” Dr. Weselman stresses. “We hope our patients will take advantage of every resource offered through RDAM 2017 and run with it by sharing on social media and leveraging the other tools we are providing to ensure their voices are heard.”
Carina Stanton is a freelance science journalist in Denver.
