April 2023 Pain BC Newsletter | | Volunteers make our work possible | |
From April 16–22, 2023, Pain BC celebrated National Volunteer Week, a time to acknowledge the significant contributions of our volunteers and extend our gratitude to them. We’re so grateful for all that our volunteers do to improve the lives of people living with pain. We couldn't do what we do without their skills and dedication.
In 2022, more than 164 volunteers contributed a total of 2,513 hours across our organization: as program volunteers, working group members, board members and practicum students. Most of our volunteers have lived experience of pain.
Connie, a Pain Support and Wellness Group volunteer facilitator, shares, “I have made great friendships in the other facilitators and have met many wonderful people in the past years and sincerely hope we made a small difference in those lives we've touched along the way. Pain BC has provided more than a place for people like me, they’ve provided a place of safety where people can share their experiences, woes, and triumphs with people that ‘just get it’.”
We're grateful to Connie and each and every one of our volunteers for being a part of our community and advancing our shared mission. Our work to ensure no one is alone with pain would not be possible without their support. Happy National Volunteer Week!
| | Pain BC programs, resources and updates | |
Hear from our volunteers
Learn more about some of the people who make our work possible
For National Volunteer Week, a few of our dedicated volunteers shared some stories about themselves and the phenomenal work they do to improve the lives of people living with pain.
You can read these stories on social media:
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Connie, Pain Support and Wellness Group facilitator
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Suzy, Coaching for Health volunteer
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Jenny, Pain Support and Wellness Group facilitator and Coaching for Health volunteer
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Ralitza, Coaching for Health volunteer
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Nancy, Pain Support and Wellness Group facilitator
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Laura, Pain Support and Wellness Group facilitator
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Attend our new Pain Support and Wellness Groups
LGBTQ2S, young adult, and BIPOC groups launched
Are you Black, Indigenous or a person of colour who lives with pain in BC? Our new BIPOC Pain Support and Wellness Group offers a virtual community space to connect with peers, share coping strategies, and learn about pain and pain management together.
We have also launched groups for LGBTQ2S adults and young adults (ages 18-35). These groups have sessions on the third Thursday of every month.
| | Our supports for people with pain | | Knowledge is power. Learn to manage pain and improve well-being though our library of evidence-based articles on LivePlanBe or start a customized program on LivePlanBe+. | |  | Connect with Pain Support Line staff to talk about your pain, find information on community resources, learn about pain and self-management, and much more. | | | Join an online group and build a community of support while learning about pain, pain management and coping strategies. | | | Receive one-on-one phone support and mentorship from a coach who will help you learn about self-management, regaining function and improving your well-being. | | |
Gentle Movement @ Home: Guided movement and relaxation for pain
Gentle Movement @ Home free online videos provide guided movement and relaxation designed to help people with persistent pain learn to feel safe to move again. Topics include breath awareness and regulation, body tension regulation, and movement and relaxation techniques in both seated and standing positions.
The full collection of Gentle Movement @ Home videos are available to view for free via our YouTube channel.
| | | Upcoming Pain BC and partner workshops, webinars and courses for health care providers | |
Pain Foundations for Allied Health Providers
Pain Foundations for Allied Health Providers is an online course designed for allied health care providers to improve their understanding of chronic pain and how to address the challenges of pain assessment and treatment. This practical, compact course allows learners to develop clinically relevant approaches to chronic pain management and develop a strong grounding in pain science to support further exploration. The course is free for health care providers in BC and offered at a modest cost for providers outside of BC.
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Pain Foundations for Primary Care Providers
This practical, compact course allows physicians and nurse practitioners to develop clinically relevant approaches to chronic pain management, including non-pharmacological treatments and prescribing best practices. Learners will develop a strong grounding in pain science to support further exploration. The course is free for primary care providers in BC and offered at a modest cost for physicians and nurse practitioners outside of BC.
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Gentle Movement and Relaxation course
This free, online course will equip physiotherapists and other therapeutic movement professionals with practical knowledge and teaching resources to lead their own movement and relaxation programs for people living with chronic pain.
The Gentle Movement and Relaxation course is currently available to BC health care providers only.
| | | Pain BC relies on the generosity of our donors to deliver our programs and services. We gratefully acknowledge that many of our programs and services receive partial financial support from the Province of British Columbia, including Coaching for Health, the Pain Support Line, Pain Support and Wellness Groups, our chronic pain management workshops for health care providers, Gentle Movement and Relaxation course, LivePlanBe, Making Sense of Pain, Pain Foundations, and the Pain Waves podcast. | | Other programs, opportunities and resources | |
Kristine Juck appointed Executive Director of new pain health improvement network
Pain Care BC aims to improve pain management in BC
Pain Care BC (PCBC) is a new health improvement network dedicated to optimizing health outcomes, improving the quality and coordination of services, and enhancing the experience for people living with pain and their families. It will bring together partners from across the province, from health authorities to physicians and colleagues from a variety of health professions. People living with pain will play an essential role in PCBC's work. Pain BC will be working closely with PCBC as a key collaborator for the health improvement network. The Provincial Health Services Authority announced last week that it has appointed Kristine Juck as the Executive Director of PCBC. PCBC is now hiring for a Provincial Medical Director.
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First Canadian standard for managing pain in children and adolescents released
The standard aligns with the recommendations in An Action Plan for Pain in Canada
Solutions for Kids in Pain and the Health Standards Organization are have announced Canada’s first national pediatric pain management standard, establishing a set of guidelines for the delivery of pain management for children. The standard focuses on how organizational leaders and dedicated health care teams should provide pain care based on the needs, goals, abilities, and preferences of children and their families. It recognizes that children and families are equal members of the health care team who are actively involved in discussions and decision-making about their pain care.
| | Research and engagement opportunities | |
Survey: Minor Ailment and Contraception
Starting in Spring 2023, PharmaCare will fund a Minor Ailment and Contraception Service (MACS). The service will allow pharmacists to assess and prescribe medications for up to 21 ailments such as acne, muscle pain and uncomplicated urinary tract infection, and for contraception needs. The BC Ministry of Health is looking for input on how to best deliver this service to the public.
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Survey: Origins of chronic pain
The Michael G. DeGroote Pain Centre at McMaster University is conducting a study on the origin of chronic pain to learn more about how and why pain affects nearly eight million people in Canada. The survey is open to all adults living with pain in Canada. It is anonymous and should take approximately 10-25 minutes to complete.
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Study: Power Over Pain Portal for Youth
The Power Over Pain Portal for youth is an online portal designed to help young people manage their pain. Researchers are seeking participants aged 12-18 who have been experiencing pain for three months or longer. Participation will involve answering online questionnaires, using the Power Over Pain Portal for eight weeks, and optionally completing a feedback interview. All participants will receive volunteer hours and gift card compensation. To sign up, email rachelr.kelly@sickkids.ca.
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Study: Pain throughout the day
If you live with pain, does it change throughout the day? The CircaPain research team is studying how time of day impacts pain and wants to hear about your experience. This study is open to all adults who have had persistent pain for more than three months. Learn more and take the survey on CircaPain's website: circapain.ca.
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What helps me live in the now with chronic pain
The author of this article shares her practice of spending brief periods in nature and how that grounds her in more challenging moments.
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Interview with Dr. Katie Birnie about chronic pain in children and adolescents
Solutions for Kids in Pain's Dr. Katie Birnie appeared on The Current to talk about pediatric pain and the first Canadian standard for managing pain in children and adolescents.
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Interview with Dr. Andrea Furlan on chronic pain
Chronic pain expert Dr. Andrea Furlan appeared on BC Today on April 19, 2023 to talk about pain management tools. The segment begins at 24:56.
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A love letter to my messy, beautiful, ordinary, congenitally ill body
The author of this The Mighty article writes a love letter to her body, acknowledging the complicated relationship many people living with chronic illness and pain have with their bodies.
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© 2023 Pain BC Society. All Rights Reserved.
312 Main St
Vancouver, BC V6A 2T2
Charitable registration number: 83220 0422 RR0001
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