Member of NFA Leaders Against Pain Coalition Featured in Asian American Media
Thursday, December 27, 2007

East West Magazine is First to Highlight Fibromyalgia and Cultural Conflicts

ANAHEIM, Calif----Does culture play a role in chronic illnesses such as fibromyalgia?

Minnie Lee, 35, the first Korean and Asian American member of the National Fibromyalgia Association Leaders Against Pain Coalition, believes it does. The Playa del Rey, California, resident talks about her cultural conflicts in East West, the premiere English language lifestyle magazine focused on the Asian American experience.

The article, “Living Well with Chronic Illness” (East West, Vol. 4, Issue 5), is the first known in-depth look by the Asian American media on the subject of fibromyalgia.

Writer Jennifer Kim interviewed Lee, a self-described “total Type A, ubermodel Asian student,” with a finance degree from Rutgers University, an MBA from UCLA and three years as an investment banker in Korea and Hong Kong.

Even more challenging than a demanding and stressful career is Lee’s relationship with her traditional parents. Lee says the combined pressures eventually manifested themselves physically, leading to a “total system breakdown” for Lee in 1997.

Although there is no current research indicating a specific connection to fibromyalgia and Asian or other ethnic cultures, “culture and family could play a role if such associations lead to stress, an FM factor,” says Malcolm Taw, M.D., an assistant clinical professor at the UCLA Center for East-West Medicine, who was also interviewed for the article.

“We commend East West magazine for being the first Asian American media to write about fibromyalgia,” said Lynne Matallana, president and founder of the National Fibromyalgia Association. “It was very enlightening to learn about the sensitive and additional issue of cultural conflicts that Asian Americans with fibromyalgia like Minnie face, and we hope that this will be the beginning of an open dialogue for other Asian Americans to share their stories with chronic pain and treatments. We at the National Fibromyalgia Association welcome suggestions from the community on how to best serve those who needlessly suffer in silence.”
 
Lee, too hopes her story will help Asian Americans with fibromyalgia or other chronic illnesses. Sharing her own experiences with others, she says, helps her find a balance between the two cultures. “I hope others come forward with their weaknesses in order to find their strengths,” said Lee.   
 
To read more about Minnie Lee, including her life turning point via participating in triathlons, contact East West magazine at http://www.eastwestmagazine.com/.

What is fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain illness characterized by widespread musculoskeletal aches, pain and stiffness, soft tissue tenderness, general fatigue, and sleep disturbances. The most common sites of pain include the neck, back, shoulders, pelvic girdle, and hands, but any body part can be affected. Fibromyalgia patients experience a range of symptoms of varying intensities that wax and wane over time.

What is the Leaders Against Pain Coalition?
The Leaders Against Pain Coalition was established by the National Fibromyalgia Association in 2005 and currently has 98 support group leaders and advocate members representing 25 U.S. states and the countries of England, Israel, and Mexico. LAP members participate in educational and training programs to increase awareness for fibromyalgia and other chronic pain illnesses.

About the National Fibromyalgia Association
The National Fibromyalgia Association is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to develop and execute programs dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with fibromyalgia by increasing the awareness of the public, media, government and medical communities. The NFA publishes a quarterly magazine, Fibromyalgia AWARE, and hosts an award-winning website at www.FMaware.org.

Other Resources:
East West Magazine
http://www.eastwestmagazine.com/

National Fibromyalgia Association
www.FMaware.org

Minnie Lee’s blog:
http://www.tribeyondlimits.com/

UCLA Center for East-West Medicine
http://www.cewm.med.ucla.edu/