Rheumatoid Patient Foundation

In 2011 Kelly founded the Rheumatoid Patient Foundation (RPF). This came out of discussions with other people living with RA about the lack of a foundation focused on those having the disease. She and the other four founding members all felt that creating such a foundation would be "too hard" due to the challenges of having RA, but that "we'd do it anyway because it needs to be done." A year ago, the RPF was incorporated in Florida as a nonprofit organization. It is funded by grants and donations from individuals.

The mission of the RPF is to "improve the life for people with rheumatoid disease." The goal is to do this by "providing patient education, patient awareness, advocate from a patient point of view and to raise money for research." In the past year, the RPF has appointed an Advisory Board, created a wonderful video in which people explain the reality of living with RA in their own words. The Foundation staff and volunteers took this video and other information and exhibited at the American College of Rheumatology annual meeting in Chicago. They also completed their first survey and are working on collecting the results.

The Foundation has big plans for the coming year, including completing a membership area and forum on the website and choosing programs and priorities. As well, they hope to encourage doctors and people who are not patients to join the RPF. Kelly says "we want everyone to join!"

Thank you, Kelly for this inspiring interview!

Lene is the author of the award-winning blog The Seated View