April 2023
April showers bring… FPN news!
We are gearing up for PN Awareness Week and hope that you will help us spread the word over the next month – and every day thereafter. In addition to our awareness campaign, we are continuously doing better by offering “more.” Thank you so much for being an active reader.
Save the date! PN Awareness Week
May 7-13 is Peripheral Neuropathy Awareness Week. We’ll be sharing stats, asking for patients to share their personal stories, and selling shirts – all to help increase awareness of this often-debilitating condition that impacts approximately 30 million Americans.
Order your shirt by April 14, to receive it BEFORE awareness week. Items purchased after April 14 will ship the end of May.
Help spread the word! Post our custom graphics, (accessible via DropBox) like our posts on social, or get involved in another way. Find out more at FoundationForPN.ORG/Aware.
Patient Profile: Angel Mason
At 7 weeks old, Angel Mason’s doctor diagnosed her with type 1 diabetes. Twenty years later, she developed diabetic neuropathy. An avid volunteer and supporter of FPN, Angel is a beacon of hope.
Read her story in this article featured in Chicago Health.
Premium Membership Rates
FPN is growing. As we serve more of the peripheral neuropathy community than ever before, we are responding to its needs with more.
In 2023, we’re doing more work to advance awareness, education, advocacy, and research.
This increased investment requires more from our staff, board, and amazing members like you. Starting June 1, the Foundation’s Premium Membership program is raising its annual donation level by $20. This is the first increase since the Foundation’s creation, over 15 years ago. This will enhance our ability to do more.
Join or renew your membership today!
Learn more about our increased efforts, and how you’ll be getting more on our blog.
Foot Health Secrets Revealed
Podiatrist Dr. Paul Betschart has released a new book on foot health, The Foot Book: Fast Foot Facts from the Foot Care Front Lines. From pain to skin conditions, this book equips readers with the tools to improve their foot health and live better – targeting both PN and non-PN related issues.
FPN Webinar: The Importance of Your Support Network (May 17)
When Will Schwalbe met Chris Maxey in college in the 1980s they were polar opposites: Will, a theater kid, and Maxey a legendary athlete headed for the Navy SEALS. In this webinar, Schwalbe and Maxey discuss Schwalbe’s book, We Should Not Be Friends: The Story of a Friendship, focusing on the role that friendship can play in our lives, the importance of your support network, and the ways that Maxey helped Schwalbe navigate life with peripheral neuropathy.
For more information and to register, go here.
Prolonged Sitting Study
Five minutes of light walking every half hour can help alleviate some of the increased risk that comes with sitting for long stretches of the day, according to a study published in the journal of the American College of Sports Medicine.
Peripheral Neuropathy & Sjögren’s
People with peripheral neuropathy co-occurring with primary Sjögren’s syndrome may see their symptoms ease or even disappear with immunosuppressive therapy, a study found.