- Our first center opened on West 10th Avenue in Vancouver, BC. The team was composed of one scientist (Dr. Jacek Kopec), one trainee (Dr. Diane Lacaille), and one administrative staff (Helen Langford).
- According to the 2000 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), arthritis and other rheumatic conditions affected nearly 4 million Canadians aged 15 years and older – approximately 1 in 6 people. Two-thirds of people with arthritis were women, and nearly 3 of every 5 people with arthritis were younger than 65 years of age.