Sign the petition on this page to inform your elected representatives that you want funding designated for spondylitis.
Each one of us has been affected by spondylitis in some way, strengthening our commitment to improving the lives of those with spondylitis, both present and future. It is critical for your elected representatives in Congress, the Senate, and in your state to know the importance of Spondylitis research and treatment as a national priority.
Please take a moment and sign our petition urging your elected officials to increase funding for spondyloarthritis (SpA) research.
Spondylitis is expensive: treatments, loss of work productivity, self-management programs, joint replacements, etc. Multiply the costs associated with spondylitis—over a lifetime— with the 3.2 million people living with it, and it is clearly worthy of federal investment to find a prevention, cure, and effective treatment.
Increased federal & state funding is the key to unlocking medical breakthroughs.
Your voice is the most powerful tool for raising awareness on Capitol Hill and in capitols across the country. The more of us who speak out, the more significant impact we will make.
The overall economic burden associated with arthritis is $300 billion annually (2018 CDC public health research). To put this into perspective, the annual economic cost of arthritis surpasses that of tobacco-related health effects, cancer, and diabetes.
This petition is designed to help spondylitis advocates in several ways. For example, it will be used when meeting and corresponding with legislators regarding the funding of spondylitis research.
Since 1983, SAA members and supporters have been funding research to find a cure for ankylosing spondylitis and related diseases.
It's time we got some more help!
We the undersigned urge you to direct funding toward spondyloarthritis disease research. Increased funding to the NIH NIAMS for spondyloarthritis research will accelerate progress and improve lives. 3.2 million people in the USA were born with a genetic disposition that led to this rheumatic disease.
Spondyloarthritis is a chronic, painful type of arthritis that starts in childhood or young adulthood, is too often lifelong, and for many of us leads to permanent damage to the spine and disfigurement.
As someone who has been impacted by spondyloarthritis, I ask you to make spondyloarthritis research funding one of your key legislative priorities. We know early treatment helps, yet on average spondyloarthritis is misdiagnosed for 7-10 years, closing the window for optimal outcomes. There are a couple of effective treatments -often very expensive- that are making a difference for some of us. Innovative discoveries are being made in the lab, and additional funding and focused efforts are urgently needed to quickly advance these discoveries.
I hope I can count on you to ensure that those fighting to stay active and productive have more options and hope for a brighter future.