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Arthritis is                .

September is Arthritis Awareness Month and we’re busting some of the biggest myths about 100+ diseases that impact over 6 million Canadians.

That’s right, arthritis isn’t just one disease and it raises different challenges for different people. Arthritis Research Canada is conducting research to help people overcome those challenges and live their lives to the fullest.

What does arthritis research look like in action? It’s developing a program to help people diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis stay employed. Or finding ways to prevent serious, life-threatening arthritis complications like heart attacks and strokes. It’s creating a program to prevent osteoarthritis from happening after a sports injury. Or determining the safety of COVID-19 vaccines for people who have compromised immune systems. These are only a few examples.

This Arthritis Awareness Month, help us challenge misconceptions about arthritis. How would you fill in the blank? “Arthritis is_____.” Join the conversation.

Get Involved. Change Lives.

Let’s talk about what #ArthritisIs and how arthritis research can help.

#ArthritisIs

How would you describe arthritis to someone who doesn’t have any firsthand experience with it? Fill in the blank and share your answer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to join the conversation. Don’t forget to use our hashtag: #ArthritisIs

A Day with RA on IGTV

Did you miss Chronic Eileen’s “A Day with RA” on IGTV? Don’t worry, you can still catch her videos by clicking the IGTV icon on our Instagram. Eileen was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) at 29 and as a young mom.

Reddit AMA

Did you miss our AMA with Dr. Jackie Whittaker, physiotherapist and Arthritis Research Canada scientist? You can still view her answers and even join the conversation about osteoarthritis research, prevention, symptoms, treatments and more!

Support Our Research

Want to help people with arthritis remain employed, avoid life-threatening complications, stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic and more? Arthritis research changes lives. Please consider donating to Arthritis Research Canada.

The Arthritis Newsletter

Coming September 8! Learn about our COVID-19 vaccine research, pandemic safety advice from a leading rheumatologist, arthritis and bullying, a patient’s journey to control his disease and more in the fall issue of The Arthritis Newsletter.

Will Power™

Your Will is powerful! Change the world with a charitable gift to Arthritis Research Canada in your Will, while still supporting those you love. Our scientific team is conducting research that will change lives for generations.

Tools & Resources

Arthritis Research Education Series

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The Arthritis Research Education Series was created to take an in-depth look at specific areas of arthritis research – from mental health to osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease, quality of care and more – and present it in a user-friendly, multi-media format. Watch videos and read research, frequently asked questions and more!

Arthritis Lifestyle Management Guide

Download Your Free Copy

Over 150 useful tips. Because life doesn’t end when arthritis begins. The Arthritis Lifestyle Management Guide is a compilation of many techniques used by Arthritis Patient Advisory Board members to cope with the everyday challenges faced by people living with arthritis. The information provided in this publication is only a guide. It is not intended to replace the recommendations of your health care provider(s). This guide seeks to help people with arthritis by providing alternate approaches to performing everyday tasks, approaches that can help make life tasks a little easier and help protect joints affected by arthritis.

COVID-19 Resource Page

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Find the latest information on COVID-19, specifically addressing concerns for people with arthritis.

COVID-19 Vaccine Decision Aid

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Are you living with arthritis? Do you need help making a decision about receiving a COVID-19 vaccine? The Canadian Rheumatology Association, with input from the Canadian Arthritis Patient Alliance, has developed a Decision Tool for COVID-19 Vaccination in Patients with Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases. Click “learn more” to view the tool in English. Click here to view the tool in French.

Biologics Decision Aid for Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

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ANSWER-2 decision aid for people with rheumatoid arthritis who are considering biologics with their rheumatologists. This tool is designed to help people reach a treatment decision that is right for them.

Health Tracking APP for Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

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People who have rheumatoid arthritis (RA) do better when they are supported and encouraged in their self-care. OPERAS (On-demand Program to EmpoweR Active Self-management) is an easy to use web/mobile app designed for people with RA to track their health. Available globally, this app helps people to “see” how their symptoms and physical activity levels change over time, together with the treatment they use. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this information can be helpful for people with RA to plan all the things that they juggle in their self-care.

Biosimilars

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Biologics are medicines taken by IV or self-injection and are made up of large protein molecules derived from living cells. There are now two versions of biologics: “originators” and “biosimilars.” These are near identical copies. The biosimilar has the identical amino acid sequence and is thus an identical twin of the originator. It is also roughly half the price of the originator. A biosimilar has identical effectiveness, safety, immunogenicity profile and quality and delivers the same therapeutic benefits to patients as its biologic originator. Several Canadian provinces have launched biosimilars transition policies. Find out what this means for people living with arthritis.

By 2036, 1 in 5 Canadians will have a disabling form of arthritis.
Please act now to support arthritis research and change lives.