• (000) 123 458 789
  • office@worldpatientsalliance.org
Home Events Webinar: Understanding and Managing Pain

Webinar: Understanding and Managing Pain

On July 22, 2024, the World Patients Alliance (WPA) hosted a highly impactful webinar titled “Understanding and Managing Pain." This event was designed to raise awareness about pain management and provide valuable insights and practical advice for those living with chronic pain. The webinar featured esteemed experts and personal testimonies, drawing a diverse audience eager to learn and engage. The agenda included expert presentations, personal stories, and interactive discussions, all aimed at providing a comprehensive understanding of pain and its management.

Speakers’ Insights
• Dr. Robert Edwards, a Clinical Psychologist in the Pain Management Center at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, provided an in-depth presentation on the complexities of pain. He discussed the psychological and physiological aspects of pain, helping attendees grasp how pain is perceived and processed in the body.
• Penney Cowan, Founder-Retired of the American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA) and Secretary and Founding Director of WPA, shared practical skills and techniques for managing pain. Her session included coping strategies, pain relief methods, and the importance of support systems in pain management.
• Regina Kamoga, Executive Director of the Community Health & Information Network (CHAIN) in Uganda, shared her personal journey of living with chronic pain. She discussed the impact of pain on her life and the resources and support systems that have helped her manage her condition effectively.

Key Takeaways
• Understanding Pain: Pain is a complex interplay of physical and psychological factors that require a comprehensive approach to manage effectively.
• Pain Management Skills: Practical techniques and coping strategies are essential for managing chronic pain and improving quality of life.
• Living with Pain: Personal stories and shared experiences highlight the importance of support systems and resources in pain management.
• Community and Support: Engaging discussions and community support are crucial for those living with chronic pain, providing comfort and practical advice.

The “Understanding and Managing Pain" webinar was a resounding success, providing attendees with valuable insights and practical strategies for managing pain. The event highlighted the importance of a comprehensive approach to pain management and the power of community and shared experiences. The WPA looks forward to hosting more such events in the future, continuing its mission to support and educate those living with pain.

Agenda

Speakers

Penney Cowan
Penney Cowan In 1980 Penney Cowan founded and is CEO of the American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA). Ms. Cowan is a recognized speaker advocating a multi-disciplinary approach to pain management. She has been an outspoken advocate and consumer representative for pain issues, contributed to numerous books, videos and Websites, consulted on the development of several pain management programs, issues and received numerous awards from organizations, such as the Institute for Public Service, American Pain Society, and American Academy of Pain Medicine. She served as Consumer Representative for the FDA/CDER Anesthetic and Analgesic Drug Products Advisory Committee (AADPAC); Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee (IPRCC) of the National Institute of Health; and Co-chair of the National Pain Strategies Public Education and Communication Working Group, part of the IPRCC. Ms. Cowan is the author of Patient or Person, Living with Chronic Pain. She has also written all manuals and materials used by the American Chronic Pain Association. She successfully established September as Pain Awareness Month in 2001.
Regina Kamoga
Regina Mariam Namata Kamoga is an Executive Director, for Community Health and Information Network (CHAIN) for Uganda,an organization that promotes the empowerment of people living with,and affected by,HIV and AIDS and non-communicable diseases. Ms. Kamoga has served on numerous health advisory committees and boards at the national and international level, and she is a past board member of International Alliance of Patients Organizations (IAPO) amongst others. Ms. Kamoga works on patients’rights, particularly the rights of persons with HIV/AIDS,TB, malaria and non-communicable diseases, and capacity building for NGOs and community based organizations on governance and policy issues,health literacy and access. Ms. Kamoga’s work involves building and strengthening networks in collaboration with other organizations at the international, national and community level to address issues of patient safety and patient-centered healthcare.
Andrew Spiegel
Andrew Spiegel has nearly two decades of experience in the patient advocacy arena. Spiegel co-founded the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, now the leading US based national patient advocacy organization dedicated to colon cancer. Mr. Spiegel, an attorney, besides being a co-founder of the organization and longtime board member of the Alliance became CEO in January of 2008 and he ran the CCA for nearly 5 years, before undertaking his next venture, the Global Colon Cancer Association (GCCA). Currently, Spiegel is co-founder and executive director of the GCCA, an international patient advocacy organization. This organization is an international community of nearly 50 colon cancer patient advocacy organizations and stakeholders dedicated to end the worldwide suffering of the 3rd leading cause of cancer deaths. In addition to his work in the colon cancer community, Spiegelis an active advocate for health care policies both in the US and now worldwide. He is a co-founder and currently serves on the steering committee of the Alliance for Safe Biologic Medicines (ASBM). He is on the Board of Directors, and in December 2014 was elected to Chair, of the Digestive Disease National Coalition (DDNC),a founding member of the Coalition to Increase Clinical Trial Participation and in May of 2016 he began a three year term as a member of the Board of Directors of the International Alliance of Patient Organizations (IAPO) where he chaired the fundraising committee. Spiegel has won multiple awards for his work in patient advocacy. Spiegel is a 1986 graduate of Temple University in Philadelphia where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with minors in English and Philosophy. He is a 1989 graduate of the Widener University School of Law. After working for a Philadelphia litigation firm, Spiegel opened his own law firm in 1995.
Robert Edwards, PhD
Dr. Edwards is a licensed clinical psychologist in the Pain Management Center in the Department of Anesthesiology at Brigham & Women’s Hospital / Harvard Medical School. He attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham, completing a Ph.D. in Medical Psychology and a Master’s in Public Health. He then completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Pain Psychology at Johns Hopkins, before joining the faculty in Psychiatry there. He moved to Brigham & Women’s Hospital in 2008. Dr. Edwards functions in a clinical capacity as a psychologist at the BWH Pain Management Center, where his responsibilities include assessment and treatment of chronic pain patients referred to the Pain Center, as well as supervision of pain psychology students and fellows. He functions as a research mentor to junior faculty members in several Departments and institutions, he has published numerous scientific articles, reviews, and book chapters on pain, and he serves on the editorial boards of several pain and psychology journals. Dr. Edwards’ research focuses on biobehavioral aspects of acute and chronic pain. Specifically, he studies individual differences in pain responses, and the neurobiological mechanisms by which psychosocial processes shape those individual differences. Much of his current research focuses on refining and testing non-pharmacologic treatments for chronic pain conditions, as well as on precision pain medicine approaches to chronic pain treatment. In addition, his clinical research group is evaluating neuroimaging-based biomarkers in a number of chronic pain conditions as a means of facilitating personalized approaches to managing pain.

Date

Jul 22 2024
Expired!

Time

All Day
Category

Leave A Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Stay in touch

Submit your email and receive our news & updates regularly