WHEREAS Fibromyalgia Awareness Day aims to raise awareness and end the stigma and discrimination that accompany this chronic illness; and
WHEREAS Fibromyalgia Association Canada is the only national organization in Canada that supports only fibromyalgia; and
WHEREAS Fibromyalgia affects about 5% of Canada’s population – over 2,000,000 men, women and children of all ages and races in Canada are afflicted with this chronic illness; and
WHEREAS Fibromyalgia often takes an average of three (3) to five (5) years to diagnosis; and
WHEREAS There is no known cause of, prevention of, or cure of fibromyalgia; and
WHEREAS Fibromyalgia (FM) is a complex illness whose symptoms vary widely and may include debilitating chronic pain, overwhelming fatigue, and cognitive impairment; and
WHEREAS Patients with Fibromyalgia often have a number of co-existing conditions, which may include chronic myofascial pain, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), environmental sensitivities, anxiety, and depression; and
WHEREAS Fibromyalgia (FM) greatly reduces quality of life, can cause total disability, and affect families, friends, and employers. Living with chronic pain and fatigue on a daily basis can lead to social isolation, so it is important for sufferers and their families, friends, and caregiver to know that they are not alone; and
WHEREAS People with Fibromyalgia (FM) have a right to be treated with dignity and have a right to pain relief; and
WHEREAS Together we will find ways to enhance the quality of lives for people affected by fibromyalgia and find a cure together.
NOW THEREFORE, I, Yvonne Hamlin, Mayor of the Town of Collingwood,
DO HEREBY PROCLAIM May 12th as “Fibromyalgia Awareness Day” in the Town of Collingwood.
Dated this 12th day of May, 2024