Like 4 million other Canadians, I suffer from arthritis, an inflammatory joint disease that affects people of all ages and physical conditions. Arthritis strikes in more than 100 ways, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, fibromyalgia, gout and ankylosing spondylitis.

I began working with The Arthritis Society in 1977 and am a founding member of the Arthritis Research Centre of Canada. My advocacy has earned me an Honorary Membership with The Arthritis Society, B.C. and Yukon Division.

ARTHRITIS: CURRENT STATISTICS

- arthritis is one of Canada's most common chronic conditions, along with hay fever and allergies, and circulatory disorders such as heart disease and high blood pressure

- there are more than 100 forms of arthritis

- the most common form of arthritis is oseteoarthritis

- almost three million of the Canadians with arthritis suffer from osteoarthritis, which normally begins around the age of 55

- 85 per cent of the population will be affected by osteoarthritis by the age of 70

- over the next thirty years, the number of people with arthritis will increase at a rate of one million more Canadians per decade

- between 1991 and 2031, the number of 45-to-54-year-olds diagnosed with arthritis will nearly double to 738,000 from 418, 1000

- in the same period, the number of 55-to-64-year-olds will more than double to 1.4 million, from 645,900

- for many types of arthritis, women are affected more often than men

- arthritis is the most common cause of long-term disability in Canada

- half of those of working age who have arthritis disabilities are not in the labour force due to their disability

- the economic impact of arthritis and other bone and joint diseases is estimated to be about $17.8 billion in Canada

For more information on arthritis research and care in Canada, visit the Arthritis Canada website.