Arthritis Foundation Upper Midwest Region Advocates head to Capitol Hill to raise their voices at the 2013 Advocacy Summit

[Minneapolis, MN] – There are many stories and faces of the 1 in 5 Americans living with arthritis and the story of Angela Lundberg is just one of those inspiring stories. Angela is sharing her story to help raise arthritis awareness as she is one of 350 arthritis advocates representing all 50 states, including the District of Columbia, in Washington D.C. to unite their voice and move Congress into action.

As most teenagers were embracing adulthood, Angela was experiencing chronic pain and swelling in her feet and hands. Less than a year later, Angela was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis at age 18 sidelining her athletics and silencing her piano playing. “I was devastated and kind of in shock,” admits Angela, “I felt completely isolated and experienced strong feelings of grief.” Angela soon learned that she had arthritis, but, arthritis didn’t have her.

Angela became actively involved with the Arthritis Foundation Upper Midwest Region and credits her activities in their programs as the turning point in taking control of her arthritis. “Becoming involved in Joints in Motion helped open the door to many more years of being involved with the Arthritis Foundation,” she continues, “meeting and working with others who also have arthritis and are passionate about arthritis issues is how I really began and continue to take control of my disease.”

For a second year in a row, Angela is joining regional advocates at the 2013 Advocacy Summit, taking place March 4 – 6 in Washington D.C. Join the effort online any time during the Virtual Summit to view live tweets, blogs and pictures form the Advocacy Summit in D.C.

This annual nationwide event allows arthritis advocates to join forces, connect and raise their voices and to make a difference. President Barack Obama, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius and Surgeon General Regina M. Benjamin have made prevention and wellness a major policy focus for the nation. We applaud these efforts to invest in public health programs that manage and prevent chronic disease. However, often, only diseases such as heart disease, diabetes or cancer are included and arthritis fails to be mentioned. This is unacceptable. One cannot address other chronic diseases without first addressing arthritis—a disease that affects an estimated 50 million (one in five) adults and 300,000 children in the U.S., including 800,000 people in Minnesota, and is the nation’s most common cause of disability. Without appropriate interventions, the number of Americans with arthritis is expected to increase to 67 million Americans within the next 20 years.

About the Advocacy Summit
The annual Advocacy Summit brings together advocates, young and old, from across the country to meet with their Members of Congress and let them know more needs to be done for people with arthritis.

About the Arthritis Foundation
The Arthritis Foundation is the only national, nonprofit health organization helping people take greater control of arthritis by leading efforts to prevent, control and cure arthritis and related diseases – the nation’s number one cause of disability.