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Ed Note:
The following is a press release from the National Pain Foundation.
September 19, 2005 -- Dennis Kinch, volunteer spokesperson for The National
Pain Foundation (NPF), will fight pain by walking historic Route 66 from
Chicago to Los Angeles. The 2,400-mile national pain walk began today on
Chicago's Magnificent Mile as part of the "Where's Dennis?" campaign, a
grassroots effort to raise awareness about chronic pain -- a national
healthcare crisis.
Sponsored by The National Pain Foundation,
http://www.nationalpainfoundation.org/ a nonprofit, Web-based resource
for pain patients, their families and physicians, the "Where's Dennis?"
campaign is designed to educate Americans about pain issues, treatment and
support.
The walk also is meant to inspire hope in the nation's
more than 50 million chronic pain sufferers, says Kinch, who lives with two
painful progressive diseases that may one day prevent him from walking. "Not
every person in pain can or should walk cross-country, but I know from my
own experience with pain that it is important to do what you can when you
can."
Kinch, 50, found that walking helped ease his pain.
This spring, he successfully walked from Attleboro, Mass., to Washington,
D.C., over a three-week period to raise awareness of pain issues. This
summer while meeting with The National Pain Foundation, he decided to do a
far longer walk."I figured I had one more walk in me," Kinch said. "I want
to hear what other pain sufferers have to say and to share the spiritual and
the practical things that helped me cope with pain."
Pulling a light cart, Kinch will hand out pain
information and the postcards he designed as he meets with other pain
sufferers. His journey, which is expected to end in Los Angeles in summer
2006, will be chronicled on the NPF Web site.
"Dennis is an inspiration to all who live with
chronic pain," said National Pain Foundation Executive Director Mary Pat
Aardrup. "The number one problem that chronic pain sufferers face is
validation. Dennis' walk is meant to make people aware of this very real and
very serious health problem."
Chronic pain is a national healthcare crisis afflicting more than 43 percent
of American households. For more information, fact sheet/photos, or to
donate to the Where's Dennis? Campaign, visit the National Pain
Foundation Web site http://www.nationalpainfoundation.org/.
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