Colleen Maloney

Colleen Maloney was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis in 1974. Colleen’s experience with arthritis advocacy began in 1986. In the beginning she advocated for herself. Within two years she was networking with other people with arthritis establishing the first support group in Calgary and writing a quarterly newsletter to disseminate information. Ten years later she would begin the process again in Saskatoon.

Through contacts with arthritis colleagues, the rheumatology team, and The Arthritis Society, she was involved in bringing the Arthritis Self Management Program to Alberta and training TAS members to lead it. She was one of the founding members of The Arthritis Advocacy Committee in Alberta and a member of the first community Board of Directors. Her work in the volunteer sector and a move to Saskatchewan lead to employment with The Arthritis Society in 1996 in the role of client advocate, educator, special events facilitator, and fundraiser.

Experience, opportunity and a belief in the national vision of her colleagues brought her to the Canadian Arthritis Patient Alliance, Patient Partners and the Consumer Advisory Board of the Arthritis Research Centre of Canada. Working with the medical research community and allied professionals, people with arthritis are making a difference by influencing the arthritis research agenda, educating health care teams, obtaining the best medicines, and accessing arthritis health care professionals and services. Together we will create a world without arthritis.