Success is hindering arthritis work

Press, 27 April 1983, Page 10

Success is hindering arthritis work

Because of increased demand for its services and programmes, the Arthritis Foundation urgently needs money to expand its work. The national president, Mrs Dorothea Horsman, told the foundation’s national council meeting in Wellington recently that research into the cause and treatment of arthritis, education and welfare programmes could not expand without a major increase in funds. “In a way we are the victim of bur own success. The success of our Field Officer Services, our ‘Living with Arthritis’ courses and other programmes has increased calls for help and

pressure to expand our work. “This is understandable. But inflation and rising costs have hit our resources. “We have to run faster to stand still. To go ahead we need the help of the people of New Zealand,” said Mrs Horsman. The council supported the decision to hold a public door-to-door Appeal for Arthritis on October 17. The foundation’s work falls into three main areas — research, education and welfare. The welfare services had been established to look after the immediate needs of peojde with arthritis. fighting pain and

the problems of people who cannot move without discomfort and difficulty.” Research and post-gradu-ate programmes to help increase the number of specialists in New Zealand and make their services more freely available were longer term achievements. The foundation could point to real achievements in all of these areas. Pointing out that seven out of 10 people in New Zealand will suffer from arthritis at some time in their life, Mrs Horsman said: “If the people support us now, they will be helping to make sure we will be there to help them W en they need us.” *