Fibromyalgia Healthcare Professionals Honored

Karen Kowal

Jerome Lerner

Laura Mason

Sheldon Solomon

Daniel Sherwood

ANAHEIM, Calif. (January 29, 2009)—The National Fibromyalgia Association (NFA) and the American Pain Foundation (APF) are pleased to announce the winners of the “Helping Hands: Making a Difference in Fibromyalgia” Awards, designed to recognize Healthcare Professionals (HCPs) who have made a significant difference in the lives of people with fibromyalgia.

As we all know too well, fibromyalgia is often called an “invisible” illness because the people who have it typically do not look sick.  Fibromyalgia is one of the most common chronic widespread pain conditions in the U.S., affecting an estimated 10 million Americans, most of whom (80-90%) are women.

Fibromyalgia is an underserved and undertreated pain condition, especially when compared to other chronic pain conditions, such as arthritis. Many healthcare professionals have had limited tools and education on how to diagnosis and treat people living with this condition. The Helping Hands Awards Program recognizes healthcare professionals who have shown exceptional support to their patients and devoted time to becoming skilled in managing this complex, central nervous system disorder.

The NFA and APF received more than 200 nominations from patients around the country, and while we can only highlight a few names, we applaud all nominees for their dedication and support of those with the condition and thank all the people who took the time to nominate their HCP.  The six winners for the 2008 Helping Hands Awards are:

• Eugene Gosy, MD (Neurologist), Williamsville, NY
• Karen Kowal, RN, Arnold, MO
• Jerome Lerner, MD (Pain Management Specialist), Franklin, WI
• Laura Mason, PT, Category, Ottawa, IL
• Daniel Sherwood, MD (Family Medicine), Shell Knob, MO
• Sheldon Solomon, MD (Internal Medicine, Rheumatology), Voorhees, NJ

Helping Hands is a partnership between the NFA and APF and supported by a sponsorship from Pfizer Inc.