Today is World Arthritis Day! As the Champion of Yes, we’re committed to leading the fight for the arthritis community – a community that is over 50 million strong in the US alone, including nearly 300,000 children and babies. While we’re committed to helping those with arthritis through life-changing tools and information, advocacy, scientific research, and community connections, a major obstacle people in the arthritis community face is raising awareness of the seriousness of the disease. Today, we need your help! You can help raise awareness on the breadth and depth of this debilitating disease using the information below. You can also take that awareness a step further bymaking a donation todayto help us raise critical funds to continue championing innovative arthritis research and support for people with arthritis.
Arthritis is a serious issue that affects millions around the globe. It is often an “invisible disease,” so people with arthritis don’t always “look” or “act” sick. Unfortunately, this can create misunderstanding and isolation from friends and family, putting an additional stress and emotional toll on those living with the disease. Though it might not be visible, the pain people with arthritis live with is very real.
There are more than 100types of arthritisand related conditions, and these conditions can be debilitating, life-altering and life-threatening. On World Arthritis Day, we’re committed to raising awareness not only of the breadth of arthritis, but also of the seriousness of the disease.
Join our cause today, and help us raise awareness by following us onTwitter,FacebookandInstagramand sharing the arthritis-related facts and images we’re posting. Or, share your personal arthritis story, on social media. Tag us and use the hashtag#WorldArthritisDayon Twitter and Instagram so we can see your post. Together, we can make a difference!
Arthritis Fast Facts
- Arthritis impacts more than 50 million adults and 300,000 children in the U.S. and 120 million people in the European Union, making it the leading cause of disability in the western world.
- Arthritis accounts for nearly 1 million hospitalizations each year.
- Among adults with arthritis, nearly half (47 percent) have at least one other disease or condition.
- Arthritis and other non-traumatic joint disorders are among the five most costly conditions among adults 18 and older.
- People with arthritis or a rheumatic condition lose more workdays every year due to illness or injury than adults with any other medical condition.
About World Arthritis Day
World Arthritis Day (WAD) was established in 1996 by Arthritis and Rheumatism International (ARI) as a global initiative to raise awareness of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). This year’s theme,“The Future In Your Hands,” is meant to inspire people around the world to take action every day to live their lives to the fullest despite arthritis. To join the movement, share your personal arthritis story on social media using the hashtag #WADStory. Learn more about this initiativehere.