eNews May 2026
Meet 2026 Research Training Grant recipient, Dr. Cashman
Chris Cashman, MD, PhD, is one of our two 2026 recipients of the Clinical Research Training Scholarship.
Dr. Cashman is a Neuromuscular Physician at Mass General Brigham and an instructor in neurology at Harvard Medical School. His research looks at how aging and damage to mitochondria, the parts of cells that make energy, can cause nerve damage, especially in the far ends of long nerves.
Neuropathy Awareness Week highlights
During Peripheral Neuropathy Awareness Week, our community came together to shine a light on a condition that affects many people but is often overlooked and underfunded. The week showed how awareness can lead to real change.
Throughout the week, people joined educational webinars about idiopathic PN and real patient experiences. We also shared patient stories that made life with PN easier to understand and more personal. Supporters wore purple, posted on social media, and helped make PN more visible.
We highlighted promising research led by new scientists and explained why continued funding is important for better treatments and future cures. Advocates also took action by supporting proclamations and raising their voices together.
Thank you to everyone who participated and for helping move the PN community forward—together. Awareness Week may be over, but our fight continues.
Podcast: The Benefits of Yoga for Chronic Pain
Yoga can be very helpful for people who have pain. It can help the body feel better and also help with thoughts and feelings about pain. It can even bring people together in a supportive group.
You’ll hear more about these ideas in this podcast. Host Rachel Land spoke with pain researcher and yoga teacher Jennifer Gewandter, PhD, MPH. Jennifer shares details about her new study, which looks at how yoga can help manage pain.
Living with Neuropathy—and Speaking Up
Living with a condition that others don’t always understand can feel lonely. For Stacey U., it became a reason to help others.
After developing peripheral neuropathy, Stacey turned her experience into a mission. In this interview with FPN, she shares how she found community, spoke up for awareness, and worked to bring more attention to this often invisible condition.
Neuropathy overview
Peripheral neuropathy is a condition caused by damage to the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord, often leading to symptoms such as numbness, tingling, weakness, or burning pain – most commonly in the hands and feet.
This webpage from the Mayo Clinic explains common symptoms, risk factors, and causes, which can include diabetes, infections, injuries, toxin exposure, and certain medical conditions. It also highlights when to seek medical care and why early diagnosis can help manage symptoms and prevent further nerve damage.
Help shape future research on CIDP
Researchers at University of Rochester are creating a new tool called the CIDP Health Index (CIDP-HI). This tool will help to understand how chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) affects people’s daily lives. The goal is to learn which symptoms have the biggest impact on quality of life so future research and care can better support people living with CIDP.
Adults in the U.S. who have been diagnosed with CIDP are invited to take part in a 30 to 60 minute Zoom interview with a study coordinator. During the interview, participants will talk about their experiences and how CIDP affects their daily life. All responses will be kept private. What participants share will help researchers better understand the real challenges people with CIDP face.
If you’d like to participate, please reach out to study coordinators Matt Rathbun ([email protected]) or Jennifer Weinstein ([email protected]) for more details.
2027 Neuropathy Symposium
FPN is excited to announce the 2027 Jack & Goldie Wolfe Miller Neuropathy Symposium. This event will bring together the neuropathy community, including patients, researchers, healthcare providers, innovators, and government agencies to celebrate FPN’s 20th anniversary.
Date: October 5-6, 2027
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Stay informed about this event on our Symposium webpage and by opening up our emails.
