Advocate for Arthritis! Learn About the 2012 Advocacy Summit & E-Advocate Opportunities – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck

Posted on January 30, 2012 by Arthritis Ashley • 1 Comment

Ignoring arthritis is unacceptable. Right? Right! So, it’s time to let Congress know where you stand on arthritis and arthritis-related health issues. So take a stand, raise your voice, make a difference, and let the United States know that arthritis is unacceptable! The annual Advocacy Summit brings together advocates, young and old, from across the … Continue reading →

Advocacy / Arthritis / Awareness / Uncategorized / Wellness

25 Ways to Stay Active Indoors – Even if you Have Arthritis! – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck

Posted on January 3, 2012 by Arthritis Ashley • 15 Comments

It is often hard for people with arthritis to exercise as frequently as we want to — and it is even more difficult when we are confined indoors during these winter months, which, for many, are colder and with worse weather. But, have no worries, have no fear — here is a list of 25 … Continue reading →

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An “Ashley’s Health Diary” Update – Entry #30 – Wrapping Up 2011 and Looking Ahead to 2012 – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck

Posted on January 3, 2012 by Arthritis Ashley • Leave a comment

January 3rd, 2012 – I have not done one of my more personal Ashley’s Health Diary posts in a while, because I realized that it was more important for me to educate about rheumatic conditions than to talk about my own story. However, I do realize that as a patient advocate, that sharing my story … Continue reading →

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The Best Arthritis News of 2011 – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck

Posted on December 17, 2011 by Arthritis Ashley • 1 Comment

Barbara Walters named her Top 10 Most Fascinating People, TIME Magazine named its Person of the Year, and People Magazine recently put out their Best of 2011 issue. So, as 2011 wraps up, I want to touch upon some of the best and/or most important arthritis and health moments/breakthroughs of 2011! New NSAID: Vimovo, a … Continue reading →

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The Difficulty of Explaining RA Pain: Can it Be Done? ~ by Ashley Boynes-Shuck

Posted on December 12, 2011 by Arthritis Ashley • 4 Comments

Lately, I’ve been coming across some blog posts that try to describe a rheumatoid arthritis flare. It is a great notion – but is it even possible to do? I’ve tried taking photos of bad flares, and, in that case, pictures are NOT worth a thousand words, because there’s just no way to “show” that … Continue reading →

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Arthritis and Chronic Illness: Stripping Away Labels and Stigma – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck

Posted on November 3, 2011 by Arthritis Ashley • 3 Comments

When I was in graduate school, I took one psychology course that was oriented towards special education. One important thing that I took away from it was that we should always use, “people-first” language. At the time, I only thought of it in the realm of dealing with children with special needs, but, now, I … Continue reading →

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Health & Hollywood: Stars Get Sick, Too! A Look at Celebrities with Chronic Illness – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck

Posted on October 19, 2011 by Arthritis Ashley • 8 Comments

Sure, their “people” usually try to either: a.) hide the fact that their celebrity client is sick or b.) exploit the fact that their celebrity client is sick….but the truth is, stars are human, and even the most beautiful, rich, and famous people in the world get sick, too. I was saddened to hear about … Continue reading →

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The Time to Advocate is Now! Arthritis Advocacy and Our Health – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck

Posted on October 19, 2011 by Arthritis Ashley • Leave a comment

I’ve shared ways to advocate in the past, but there’s no time like the present to get involved if you haven’t already. You may or not be aware of this but Congress has appointed a “Super Committee” to find ways to reduce government spending. This is an important task, yet we as patients and advocates … Continue reading →

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World Arthritis Day 2011 – Do Blue & Move to Improve! (…And some words from Oprah Winfrey & Dr. Phil, too!) – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck

Posted on October 12, 2011 by Arthritis Ashley • 1 Comment

Today, October 12th, 2011, is World Arthritis Day. This year’s theme is “Move to Improve” — and that’s exactly what we want YOU to do! We would like you to move around the world for arthritis awareness. By October 31st, the Arthritis Foundation by choosing your weapon against arthritis pain. The goal is covering the distance … Continue reading →

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Billie Jean King and Venus Williams: Two Tennis Stars Making Arthritis News! – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck

Posted on September 1, 2011 by Arthritis Ashley • 2 Comments

In the past 24 hours, two tennis stars have made “rheum” for some big announcements. First, tennis legend Billie Jean King was announced as the star of the new Arthritis Foundation campaign to help fight arthritis pain. The new ads state that we “need a weapon in fighting arthritis” and asks fellow arthritis sufferers — … Continue reading →