Dear subscriber,

Welcome to the fresh new look of our e-alert letter proudly sponsored by PeopleLogic.

If you haven't noticed already, our website, too, has had a face lift! - thanks to the PeopleLogic team. We have taken special care to introduce new features that will make it easier for you to read and navigate such as:

• Adhering to the Australian Government Department publishing standards for HealthInsite
• More informative
• A modern look
• Search Engine Friendly (Search link)
• Easy and simple to navigate
• Font size modify feature

Have a look for yourself. We're sure you'll be impressed! www.arthritisaustralia.com.au

Our new TV ad was launched in April as part of Arthritis Awareness Week - Sunday 29 March to Saturday 4 April. The 30 second ad featuring Ita Buttrose, highlights the new theme for arthritis awareness, Pick up the phone and take the first step to managing your arthritis.

Click here to view the 30 second version.

A Parliamentary Friends of Arthritis morning tea was held on Wednesday 18 March where politicians were informed about Juvenile Arthritis (JIA). We were joined by Annie Grindrod and her mother, Robin, who shared with guests their personal experiences of the disease. Annie, now aged 15, was diagnosed with JIA when she was eight years old. Annie’s story was both moving and encouraging.

1. From left: Diana Terry, Manager Stakeholder Relations, Medicines Australia
Kim Wight, Assistant Director, National Health Priorities Section, Department of Health and Ageing
Ainslie Cahill, CEO, Arthritis Australia

2. From left: Dr Brendan Nelson, MP
Peter Dutton, Shadow Minister for Health and Ageing
Dr Mona Marabani, President, Arthritis Australia

3. From left: The Hon Justine Elliot, MP, Minister for Ageing
Annie Grindrod and her mother Robin

Contrary to popular belief, arthritis is not simply an "older person's disease". It doesn't discriminate and infants as young as 18 months old can be diagnosed with Juvenile Arthritis. JIA is an inflammatory disease and is often characterised as one of the auto immune diseases predominantly affecting the joints. Pain and stiffness affects most of these children and can have a dampening affect on their overall enjoyment of life.

However, with increased understanding of Juvenile Arthritis and the development of new treatments, there has been a marked improvement in diagnosis and disease management. With accurate knowledge and a discreet helping hand, the child's path can be made easier so that they have a chance of getting the most from everything life has to offer.

For more information on JIA, click here.

The Australian Rheumatology Association (ARA) and Arthritis Australia are pleased to provide co-badged medicine information that provide 'entry level' information on a range of conditions and management for people with arthritis. 

The development of the recently updated Medicine Information Sheets has been a collaborative effort between many members of the ARA, in consultation with Arthritis Australia and Communicating for Health, Victoria with funding support from the Australian Government.

To view click here.

Applications for 2010 Arthritis Australia research grants are now available on our website. We will be accepting applications through to 10 July 2009.  If you would like more information on the process or you have any other questions about our grants program click here.

We welcome your feedback about our new website and the e-alerts! Please feel free to forward your comments to info@arthritisaustralia.com.au

Our national set of arthritis information sheets and 10 steps booklet - all co-badged with the ARA - have been reviewed, updated and reprinted. All are downloadable by clicking here - and you can now request hard copies of our information booklets by visiting here.

We welcome your feedback about our new website and the e-alerts! Please feel free to forward your comments to us here.

Your privacy, is of course, protected by Arthritis Australia. Any personal details submitted will not be passed onto third parties under any circumstances. Feedback about the website is collated and used to upgrade the service without the identity of the contributor revealed.

If you'd like to be taken off the mailing list for this occasional e-alert service, please click the "UNSUBSCRIBE" button situated at the bottom-right of the newsletter to be instantly removed.

Your donation can help prevent, treat, manage and perhaps even one day find a cure for this at times cruel and confounding condition. Your support can also be used to create effective education programs or increase awareness of the challenges faced by people with arthritis. Donations over $2 are tax deductible. An Arthritis Australia receipt will be sent to you. If you would like to donate on line, please click here.

Not only do we have updated multicultural information sheets which have been translated in the following languages - Arabic, Chinese, Greek, Italian and Vietnamese, but you can now find these easier than ever, with the help of the relevant country's flag.

Click here to visit site.

A new initiative is a media partnership with the Readers Digest stable. From April to December a variety of articles will be published in Readers Digest, HealthSmart & Handyman magazines and on their associated websites as well as the distribution of the April issue of Reader's Digest to 7,000 GP practices. We are most appreciative of the support that Readers Digest is providing.

In association with the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA), and with Australian Rheumatology Association (ARA) support, we have developed a range of awareness and education materials for pharmacists and assistants. Following a tried and true PSA formula, the materials give an overview of arthritis but concentrate on osteoarthritis. Subject to successful evaluation, we are hoping to cover rheumatoid arthritis next year.