Pain Awareness Month was initially American. i encountered it over there when i was being treated in Colorado and on the websites, and again when i found Invisible Illness Awareness Week, which is a virtual seminar that runs in September as well, 13th to the 17th.

The earliest reference i can find online for Pain Awareness Month in the America is 2005. since then the event has grown, with more states every year signing the pain awareness month ‘proclamations’ and more and more events being run throughout the USA to either teach about Chronic Pain or raise money for the charities that support it.

the main website for Pain Awareness Month in the States is here, and a summation of events from last years Pain Awareness Month can be found here
I’ve been wanting to run a pain event, or a fibromyalgia event, in NZ for a very long time. Chronic Pain really doesnt have a knowledge base here. the better known conditions, like Arthritis, are relatively well known and understood by the general public, but the rest are not. things are better than when i was first diagnosed – at least now when i tell someone i have fibro theres a chance they’ll have heard of it – but people still are largly unaware of the actual facts about and repercussions of these conditions.

So this is a trial run. i know the competition hasnt officially started yet, but the response i’m getting is encouraging. i’ve encountered a number of people who have chronic pain conditions, but dont usually talk about them because of how much they can be misunderstood. a lot of people have shown support, and i’m getting really excited to see the pieces that people will come up with. roll on September 1st!