iPain Foundation presents the Melanie McDowell Pain Advocacy Award. The recipient is a pain patient or provider who has demonstrated outstanding commitment to assisting and advocating for people with neuropathy and pain conditions. This could be within the field of research, education, awareness, or patient assistance.
Caregiver Hero of Hope Award
Caregivers represent service in areas such as nursing, certified nursing assistants, social services, certified medical technicians, therapy, activities, housekeeping, food service and volunteers. We honor these people who give of themselves and make a difference in the lives of those they care for in long-term care.
Corporate Support Hero of Hope Award
This person or group is recognized for being innovators & leaders supporting daily living with chronic pain disease conditions. This can be research for daily living aids, drug development, survey data collecting. Specific or non specific research for effective treatments in the chronic pain community.
The Nerve to be Heard Hero of Hope Award
Nominations are being accepted for those who Have the Nerve to be Heard. This person has been recognized for bringing awareness to the challenges of living with chronic pain in national or international media. Nominees could include patients, patient advocates, celebrity, legislators, professional Olympic athletes, etc.
Nominations for 2016 Hero of Hope awards are now open.
Thank you all for nominating someone who has made a positive difference in your life. We all know someone who has made a difference. Whether its your life or someone close to you, we all make a difference. Nominations for people who are making a significant contribution within the field of research, education, awareness, and/or patient assistance are now open.If chosen to move on to the next round you will be notified and your nominee will be notified.
Additional information may be requested as needed by our panel of judges Nominations accepted between April 1 and June 30, 2016 Finalist chosen by iPain Gala Committee by July 15, 2016 Recipient will be chosen by the iPain Board of Directors between by July 31, 2016
Please use the form above to formally choose your award nominee(s). You may nominate as many of your favorite Heroes in either categories as you like. There’s lots of Hero’s out there, show them that you recognize all they do for you, and others. ~Twinkle
One of our original RSDS Advocates, Mary LaBree, passed away on October 15, 2015 due to complications from Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD). Mary exemplified commitment to the RSD community for over 3 decades. As the Director of the New England RSDS Coalition since 1990, Mary sought to educate and bring awareness to the public and private sectors for the disease that was virtually unheard of back then. Originally from Leicester, Massachusetts, she was formally educated at Worcester State University in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Mary secured the JULY Proclamation for RSDS To urge all of the citizens of the Commonwealth to take cognizance of this event and participate fittingly in its observance. Given at the Executive Chamber in Boston, the twenty-fourth of June in the year two thousand and eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America, the two hundred and thirty forth.” Massachusetts Bill # 5938
She worked both locally in Massachusetts and Nationally.
Mary formed and lead seminars, attended others, developed awareness events, distributed information and educational materials. She spoke with patients, caregivers, physicians, hospitals, insurance companies, fellow educators, universities, other peer groups, and those with an interest to learn about Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. She was involved with grants, research and fundraising.
When Mary LaBree began advocating for RSD in the 1980’s the term Complex Regional Pain Syndrome hadn’t been created. While other names had been used previously to describe Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (Syndrome) it was most often referred to as RSDS.
In 2012, she reached out to me and a friendship formed. We shared phone calls, messages and correspondence by snail mail. Mary sent me a copy of the photo of she and other’s of the original signing of her proclamation and a copy of the verbiage used to secure her proclamations. I’m privileged to know what Mary looks like. For now, I’ll not share those, nor have I ever. She shared with me 30+ years of everything. How she started, how she educated, how other RSD organizations began, her children, grandchildren, colleagues, the strength it takes to endure; not just in living with pain, but being a part of it.
If you pray, why worry… If you worry, why pray?
I had plans to meet her in person twice. The first time she had to return home early. I was supposed to meet her again toward the end of October or into mid-November. I had just spoken to her less than a week before her passing.
I was in the hospital yesterday, I had an accident with my wheelchair when I tried to back it up ( standing in front of it. ) (Stupid me )when I pushed the button to back it up.. I pushed it the wrong way..And ran over my LEDs from the ankles to the knees. I was really blessed when the ER Dr. Asked what other problems did I have, & when I explained CRPS He said oh Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome , I said yes. He treated me with kindness & care. I’m going to send him a thank you card. He was really kind. You don’t always find a kind caring Dr..pls pray for me to recover. I have a lot of CRPS work to do. I will be leaving for CA in a few weeks. Ty.M
Hi, Yes I’m looking forward to meeting you as well. I leave Oct 23 on. Friday. A lil less then 2 wks.I will call u sometime on the weekend after I arrive, hugs & lots of love.M
I’m sorry I had a mistake that I didn’t want to have a group pls forgive me, as I pressed the wrong thing, & didn’t realize it until someone told me.
The next message on Oct 12, I missed due to being away and my IM being flooded and then she was gone. I was on the road to and from the Stanford Transplant Clinic for our daughter on the 15th and in the Emergency Department on the 16th due to my cervical spine. Trying to save the puppies life all in between.
The last message was in reference to an accidental group IM.
I had been wondering if she would want to make the plans to meet at the NERVEmber, West Coast Pain Forum for Power of Pain Foundation on November 14th. All I knew for certain is she planned to be here in Northern California on the 23rd of October and would call me.
Permission granted and sent from the Power of Pain Foundation to share in Mary’s memory. Melanie McDowell Awareness and Advocacy Award Nomination 2015
I wish she would have received more nominations, but mine was the only one for her. She was most deserving.
We never know for certain where our conversations go even when we chit-chat on the phone or when we think they are in confidence. I don’t know what Mary ever spoke of me to others, but I know that she must have believed in me enough with what she did share with me to know I would keep it to me and if she didn’t know for sure when she told me she knew as time went on because I’ve never told it.
She asked me sometime in 2013 to consider being trained by her for her Coalition and new endeavors. While I was most honored, I respectfully declined as I was already committed to Power of Pain.
Our conversations also consisted of but weren’t limited to life, color, ethnicity, race, the olden days, differences, equality, change and today. She shared with me uncertainties about people, places and things, and I eased her in certain fear and prejudices. Please don’t misunderstand me, I’m not at all implying Mary was prejudice, in fact, she’s not, though conversations were simply sometimes deep. Mary listened and she learned. She watched, listened to gossip, dismissed it, listened more, read, picked it apart, put it together, and ultimately decided for herself. She wasn’t afraid to speak her mind or share a maybe, what if, what do you think or did you know.
I’m humbled to have been accepted, acknowledged, taught and even loved by her.
Mary was so proud of the New England RSDS Coalition, she was thrilled that the healthcare community was finally beginning to know what RSD (CRPS) is. She was pleased that patients had informational materials to seek out and be provided. She was happy that educational events were provided free to the public.
She told me the story behind July and why her proclamations are for the month of independence and not November. As I stated Mary began educating RSD over 30 years ago. July was chosen for freedom, freedom from pain. It wasn’t until many years later that a national color evolved, and then our month of recognition. Mary was grateful for her closest friends. I know she loved her beautiful friend, advocate and poet, Jane (Gonzales).
I prayed for her health and I prayed for her to achieve her life’s work, her mission to create awareness and educate on RSD, her purpose to continue doing so, and her hope for our future.
You did Mary! You really did! You achieved them all to the last breath.
Biogen Idec is running a registry for researchers to advance their knowledge of early Alzheimers Disease. If you’re having memory problems or are worried you’re at risk of early Alzheimer’s, you can play an important role in improving our understanding of the disease. You will have the opportunity to learn about and take part in local studies looking at new treatment options. You will also receive some reimbursement for your time.
More about the registry:
There will be 14000 participants in this registry
This registry will take place over two years requiring no visits or overnight stays
This registry is taking place nationwide and you can complete it from the comfort of you own home.
If you are interested, the full study details and eligibility criteria are listedhere.
Eligibility Criteria:
Participants must:
be between 50 – 85 years old
be willing to answer questionnaires periodically over a 2 year block of time
be concerned that you are at risk for developing early Alzheimers have difficulty with memory or thinking skills
Participants must not:
already be diagnosed with Alzheimers Disease
have had events of stroke, epilepsy, or Parkinson’s Disease
ADDITIONAL INFO ON THE REGISTRY
If you agree to participate in the registry, you will be asked to complete an online questionnaire to assess how you understand, remember, and communicate information. This questionnaire will be repeated every 3 – 6 months. You will also be asked to take a brief 10 – 15 telephone call, which will be repeated every 6 months. The registry team may use your answers to see if you may qualify for another clinical research study. If you are interested in participating, we will ask for your permission to send your contact details to the study center. After you speak with someone at the study center, you can decide whether or not you want to participate in the study.
RSD Advisory- Where Chronic Pain & Depression Collide 