Awareness & Advocacy
Committee Chair: Tina Richardson & Cindy Christopher
DETAILS:
The Awareness & Advocacy Committee meets every third Thursday of the month from 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm EST

The overall goal for advocacy and awareness raising is to help build a national movement of people actively working together to fight for the rights and needs of Canadian persons with fibromyalgia.

PURPOSE:

• Sensibiliser au fait que la fibromyalgie est une maladie chronique qui altère la vie
• to increase interests, compassion, and public support for fibromyalgia research, education, and advocacy
• to address and reduce stigmas and stereotypes and to influence changes in attitudes, behaviours, and beliefs toward fibromyalgia
• to effect change by stimulating self-mobilization, empowerment, and action among people with fibromyalgia
• to improve and ensure that the quality of life of persons with fibromyalgia is in accordance with Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms
• to unite Canadians and Canadian residents with fibromyalgia to improve their quality of life according to Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms (CCRF)
• to promote and safeguard the right of persons with fibromyalgia
• to influence decisions within political, economic, medical, and social institutions
• to build a stronger, respected voice within a fibromyalgia community

SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITIES:

The primary responsibilities of the Committee are to:

• spread information about the disabling symptoms and effects of fibromyalgia
• launch national awareness campaigns on fibromyalgia
• develop social media campaigns in collaboration with other committees
• reach out and collaborate with national and local fibromyalgia-related community support agencies in Canada, to invite opportunities to work together to increase awareness
• connect with marginalized and vulnerable communities in Canada such as veterans, Indigenous communities, youth and young adults, and
• identify the most economical end effective platforms to optimize community engagement in awareness raising on fibromyalgia
• ensure our community outreach efforts are inclusive of all Canadians and Canadian residents living with fibromyalgia, regardless of race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age, mental/physical ability, sexual orientation, residency, marital status, or citizenship (CCRF);
• collaborer avec les organisations, associations, fondations et groupes de soutien liés à la fibromyalgie afin qu'ensemble nous renforcions notre voix unie pour combler les lacunes et les besoins ; et
• Networking to establish relationships with:
• Ministères et fonctionnaires des gouvernements fédéral et provinciaux;
• Professionnels de la santé et de la médecine;
• Professional Associations in the Medical, Healthcare, and Insurance sectors in order to address issues, myths, biases, and stigmas about fibromyalgia.