Statements
Mission
The Arthritis Foundation is the Champion of Yes. Leading the fight for the arthritis community, the Arthritis Foundation helps conquer everyday battles through life-changing information and resources, access to optimal care, advancements in science and community connections. Our goal is to chart a winning course, guiding families in developing personalized plans for living a full life - and making each day another stride towards a cure.
Background
In the 1940s, there was little awareness about arthritis and even less being done about it. At that time, the number of Americans estimated to have arthritis was 7 million. There were only 300 physicians providing advanced knowledge and treatment in the area of rheumatic diseases. On May 6, 1948, Dr. Richard Freyburg organized a small group to be the first board of trustees. By the end of the year, 13 chapters were formed across the country. Today, the Arthritis Foundation serves more than 50 million Americans and is the largest national voluntary health agency addressing all forms of arthritis in adults and children. We are committed to giving people the tools and information they need to understand the far-reaching impact of the disease. We fund innovative scientific research to find a cure, provide educational materials and resources for children and families and influence health legislation to change lives. We serve children and adults of all ages, races, genders and ethnicities.
Impact
The Arthritis Foundation is the largest national voluntary health agency that addresses all forms of arthritis in adults and children. The Foundation's mission is focused on finding a cure and championing the fight against arthritis with life-changing information, advocacy, science and community. The organization is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit agency and was founded in 1948. The Arthritis Foundation Tennessee is the only agency in Middle Tennessee serving the needs of people living with arthritis. Our programs are uniquely designed for those living with the pain and disability of arthritis. The heart of our mission is to help people with arthritis live life to its fullest - easing pain and illuminating a path toward wellness. We are expanding our reach to assist even more people with arthritis. We offer trusted information, powerful tracking tools and ways to connect with others. We work with health care providers and other partners to strengthen our educational and interactive offerings. We are continuously building a state-of-the-art digital enterprise so patients can customize their online experience and live better lives. When it comes to serving children with juvenile arthritis and other childhood rheumatic diseases, the Arthritis Foundation is determined to make sure families have easy access to life-changing resources, community and care. The juvenile arthritis community faces unique challenges and our families are extreme users of our organization, looking to us for support and a plan for getting better. Annually we reach thousands of children and their families, who access educational programs, resources, networking opportunities and activities offered by the Arthritis Foundation. All of our programs (with the exception of fees to travel to the annual JA Conference) are free of charge. A diagnosis of juvenile arthritis can turn life upside down and make newly diagnosed families feel powerless. They do not know what to expect, what treatment options are available or what to do. The Arthritis Foundation understands and cares. We are the Champion of Yes - and we want to help families find their own personal victories. In 2017, the Middle TN Area office conducted the following events in the Middle Tennessee community: the Walk to Cure Arthritis in May at Centennial Park in Nashville, the Jingle Bell Run a 5k Run/Walk in Franklin, Family education programs for those who have a child with juvenile arthritis, 1 statewide event and 2 local events, Juvenile Arthritis Camp AcheAway summer camp for children with juvenile arthritis, and a brand new Teen Retreat for teens ages 14-17 who are dealing with juvenile arthritis or other forms of a childhood rheumatic disease to help them transition into young adulthood.
Needs
1. Leadership and operational volunteers willing, interested and able to commit time, talent, treasure and resources in a real 'hands-on' manner. 2. Funding to support a medical based summer camp which serves children with juvenile arthritis in the state of Tennessee. 3. Funding to support Juvenile Arthritis Family Education events which focus on education and networking among families dealing with a similar medical diagnosis. 4. Corporate and program partnerships to further our visibility, program delivery and resource development. Other Ways to donate, support, or volunteer:We accept checks by mail but you can also donate online. You can choose to support events like our Walk to Cure Arthritis, Jingle Bell Run 5k, or the Arthritis Foundation Bone Bash in the fall. Simply search them in your area and donate/participate online.
CEO Statement
The Arthritis Foundation is the Champion of Yes. Leading the fight for the arthritis community, the Arthritis Foundation helps conquer everyday battles through life-changing information and resources, access to optimal care, advancement in science and community connections. Our goal is to chart a winning course, guiding families in developing personalized plans for living a full life - and making each stride towards a cure. People with arthritis face unique barriers to care: high costs of treatment, difficulty accessing medications, scarcity of specialists and more. It's hard for any individual to fight the battle alone. But through our effective and committed advocacy network, the Arthritis Foundation is working to address key issues both on the state and federal levels with lawmakers, insurers and regulators, helping ease people's burden so they can reach their goals. Science holds the key to finding better treatments and one day a cure for the more than 50 million Americans with arthritis and related diseases. On their behalf, the Arthritis Foundation continues to lead and fund cutting-edge scientific investigation to discover more about arthritis - what causes it, what affects it, what can stop it - and what can keep it from developing in the first place. The Foundation's new scientific strategy will lead to a faster cure by strengthening the research pipeline and engaging creative minds. The Arthritis Foundation is expanding our reach to assist event more people with arthritis. We offer trusted information, powerful health tracking tools and ways to connect with others. The Foundation works with health care providers and other partners to strengthen our educational and interactive offerings. We're also building a state-of-the-art digital enterprise so people with arthritis can customize their online experience, find local resources and live better than ever. The needs of families living with juvenile arthritis (JA) are unique and urgent. In the United States, an estimated 300,000 children have JA or other rheumatic conditions. Multiply that by their parents, siblings, extended family and others, and the number of people affected is astronomical. For almost seven decades, the Arthritis Foundation has upheld our unwavering promise to assist them and their caregivers. We're boldly leading the JA fight, ensuring easy access to life-changing resources, community and care. The heart of our mission is to help people live life to the fullest - easing pain and illuminating a path toward wellness.
Board Chair Statement
The Arthritis Foundation, Southeast Region is a volunteer-driven organization committed to improving the lives of people in our community living with the more than 100 forms of arthritis and related diseases. To learn more about our mission, call the office to speak to a staff member. Opportunities include serving on a committee, assisting with community programs or helping with special events such as the Walk to Cure Arthritis, Jingle Bell Run and/or Juvenile Arthritis Programs. The Arthritis Foundation staff and board are continually focused on building the strong foundation necessary to be good stewards of our donor dollars. We depend on community leaders to help us carry out our mission. The organizational structure allows both staff and volunteer groups to communicate and work together both efficiently and effectively. The local leadership council, consisting of 10 members, represents a broad cross section of the business and medical communities and is a working group that is enthusiastically involved in all functions, programs and special events. While we are passionate about the mission of the Arthritis Foundation, we also manage to have fun as we work together. Thanks to the dedication and commitment of both staff and volunteers. While tremendous strides have been made toward a cure to improve the lives of those affected by this disease, the Arthritis Foundation needs your help and invites you to join us in making a positive difference!
Service Categories |
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| Primary Category: | Diseases, Disorders & Medical Disciplines - Arthritis |
| Secondary Category: | Health Care - Patient & Family Support |
| Tertiary Category: | - |
Areas Served
| TN |
| TN - Davidson |
| TN - Wilson |
| TN - Williamson |
| TN - Warren |
| TN - Cheatham |
| TN - Clay |
| TN - Dickson |
| TN - Fentress |
| TN - Franklin |
| TN - Giles |
| TN - Humphreys |
| TN - Lewis |
| TN - Maury |
| TN - Montgomery |
| TN - Overton |
| TN - Perry |
| TN - Pickett |
| TN - Putnam |
| TN - Robertson |
| TN - Rutherford |
| TN - Sumner |
| TN - Trousdale |
| TN - Van Buren |
| TN - White |
| TN - Wayne |
| TN - Houston |
| TN - Hickman |
