Pain, pain, go away
A$8,047
of $34,840 targetyrs ago
Closed on 7th Aug 2014 at 6:38AM.
Let's face it - a book on and support resources for people with chronic pain don't make for a sexy headline, nor do they lend themselves to beautiful visuals or promises of fun-filled rewards, but a book from people who know what it's like to live with chronic pain every day is very much needed by those desperate to find ways to cope with their chronic pain.
This Pozible campaign is to support publication of a book in print, eBook and audiobook format as well as for a resources guide, pain management diary and a website to support people in chronic pain.
If you have chronic pain, this is a book to let you know you’re not going crazy, to give you hope and provide some tried-and-true tips from those who have been there, got through the worst of it and now manage their chronic pain successfully. This book includes my story of chronic pain and the stories of seven others with chronic pain that I’ve met along the way.
Chronic pain is very individual, but there are many common experiences and emotions typically associated with it. Between us we've tried to balance medication with quality of life, battled specialists, the medical system and doctors with atrocious bedside manners. We've also found brilliant and dedicated doctors and health care teams that have made such a difference in our lives. We’ve had flare-ups, setbacks, financial strain, relationship breakdowns and divorce, loss of employment and more.
All of us have been through a host of emotions and have felt cheated, isolated and depressed by the challenges of chronic pain. And finally, we've learnt to manage it. We have each found ways to cope with pain and lead happy, fulfilling lives. We may not be pain free but we've learnt a lot along the way and we want to share it, because we think it’ll help those struggling with chronic pain.
This Pozible campaign is to support publication of a book in print, eBook and audiobook format as well as for a resources guide, pain management diary and a website to support people in chronic pain.
If you have chronic pain, this is a book to let you know you’re not going crazy, to give you hope and provide some tried-and-true tips from those who have been there, got through the worst of it and now manage their chronic pain successfully. This book includes my story of chronic pain and the stories of seven others with chronic pain that I’ve met along the way.
Chronic pain is very individual, but there are many common experiences and emotions typically associated with it. Between us we've tried to balance medication with quality of life, battled specialists, the medical system and doctors with atrocious bedside manners. We've also found brilliant and dedicated doctors and health care teams that have made such a difference in our lives. We’ve had flare-ups, setbacks, financial strain, relationship breakdowns and divorce, loss of employment and more.
All of us have been through a host of emotions and have felt cheated, isolated and depressed by the challenges of chronic pain. And finally, we've learnt to manage it. We have each found ways to cope with pain and lead happy, fulfilling lives. We may not be pain free but we've learnt a lot along the way and we want to share it, because we think it’ll help those struggling with chronic pain.
Testimonials
Here are a couple of remarks about the book so far:
“The book is even better than I expected and I expected that it would be quite brilliant. I think what you have written is not only an education for health professionals, but also a resource and support for individuals with chronic pain and their friends/families. It was engaging and down-to-earth and injects a sense of positivism and hope in the reader. Even though I don't have personal experience with chronic pain (or Persistent Pain as they now like to call it) I have spent a lot of time with individuals in pain and I know that they will find the book an incredible support that fills a gap in the current literature. I really consider myself very fortunate to have had the opportunity to gain more insight into persistent pain through reading your book.”
Miss Wendy Barsdell
Provisional Psychologist
Doctorate of Clinical Neuropsychology Candidate
“Your writing is AMAZING! I actually had to read it twice – you have managed to put into words EVERYTHING I have experienced, with great humour and honesty. Thank you so very much for writing this book, for putting it into words and making sense of it all. I feel you have touched my soul and given me back an experience that is part of who I am – thank you, thank you, thank you! ... It is also a book that would be extremely helpful to people in lots of different circumstances ... it has an amazing message of hope!
Wendy Kelleway
Pain patient
(& book participant)
A short video about the book and why ...
“The book is even better than I expected and I expected that it would be quite brilliant. I think what you have written is not only an education for health professionals, but also a resource and support for individuals with chronic pain and their friends/families. It was engaging and down-to-earth and injects a sense of positivism and hope in the reader. Even though I don't have personal experience with chronic pain (or Persistent Pain as they now like to call it) I have spent a lot of time with individuals in pain and I know that they will find the book an incredible support that fills a gap in the current literature. I really consider myself very fortunate to have had the opportunity to gain more insight into persistent pain through reading your book.”
Miss Wendy Barsdell
Provisional Psychologist
Doctorate of Clinical Neuropsychology Candidate
“Your writing is AMAZING! I actually had to read it twice – you have managed to put into words EVERYTHING I have experienced, with great humour and honesty. Thank you so very much for writing this book, for putting it into words and making sense of it all. I feel you have touched my soul and given me back an experience that is part of who I am – thank you, thank you, thank you! ... It is also a book that would be extremely helpful to people in lots of different circumstances ... it has an amazing message of hope!
Wendy Kelleway
Pain patient
(& book participant)
A short video about the book and why ...
Why we need these funds
Chronic pain does not discriminate; it affects
the young, the old and everyone in between, so the book needs to be in
different formats of printed, eBook and audio book so everyone who needs it has the ability to access it. For instance, some people with
chronic pain can’t concentrate on the written word for very long, or may be unable to physically hold a book, so they would need an audio book.
These formats of the book will be needed as well as a resources guide, a pain management diary - a very important tool when starting to learn about chronic pain - and a website.
It costs quite a bit to publish and distribute in the mainstream. But this is not just a mainstream project, we also need to go ‘off-stream'. We want to ensure that the book, or information about the book, is also available in places where mainstream books aren't normally found, such as pain clinics, resource centres and waiting rooms. We’ve allocated 250 books for this and just to send them, at an average cost of $6.95, without packaging or anything else, would cost more than $1,700 so you can start to see how things add up.
The book needs to be affordable, because people with chronic pain – particularly if they’re on their own – often do not have a lot of (or any) spare cash around. Chronic pain can have a huge impact on people’s capacity to earn a living, so we also need to allocate some books for those people who genuinely may not be able to afford one.
These formats of the book will be needed as well as a resources guide, a pain management diary - a very important tool when starting to learn about chronic pain - and a website.
It costs quite a bit to publish and distribute in the mainstream. But this is not just a mainstream project, we also need to go ‘off-stream'. We want to ensure that the book, or information about the book, is also available in places where mainstream books aren't normally found, such as pain clinics, resource centres and waiting rooms. We’ve allocated 250 books for this and just to send them, at an average cost of $6.95, without packaging or anything else, would cost more than $1,700 so you can start to see how things add up.
The book needs to be affordable, because people with chronic pain – particularly if they’re on their own – often do not have a lot of (or any) spare cash around. Chronic pain can have a huge impact on people’s capacity to earn a living, so we also need to allocate some books for those people who genuinely may not be able to afford one.
Chronic pain in society
One in five Australians has chronic pain, that is, pain that persists for more than three months. Chronic pain is a huge problem, not only for individuals but also for society and is mostly unaddressed, or under-addressed. A 2007 report by Access Economics for the MBF Foundation estimated that, by 2050, the number of people living with chronic pain in Australia will rise to 5 million and that the total cost of chronic pain in 2007 was estimated at $34.3 billion (yes, billion!) including around $11.7 billion in lost productivity.
This report also said of chronic pain there was: an “impact on quality of life, a “socioeconomic disadvantage”, a “substantial economic impact on society”, and “broad and significant impacts on people who experience it and those caring for them”. The report also stated that chronic pain is “an important public health concern in Australia”.
We, therefore, want to provide a resource that's going to help people start to: cope with chronic pain, feel better, integrate back into society, do more and live more. At the very least, we want to let them know that others understand and that they're not alone.
This report also said of chronic pain there was: an “impact on quality of life, a “socioeconomic disadvantage”, a “substantial economic impact on society”, and “broad and significant impacts on people who experience it and those caring for them”. The report also stated that chronic pain is “an important public health concern in Australia”.
We, therefore, want to provide a resource that's going to help people start to: cope with chronic pain, feel better, integrate back into society, do more and live more. At the very least, we want to let them know that others understand and that they're not alone.
A word about our rewards
One of our rewards is a yo-yo. Strange, you might think, but we believe it’s really important to laugh and have fun, especially if you have chronic pain. Regardless of limited physical mobility, just about everyone can at least have a go with a yo-yo, and besides, when you can’t physically walk the dog (or don’t have one) you can actually still ‘walk the dog’ – for those unfamiliar, ‘walking the dog’ is a yo-yo feat of skill!
The one-to-one session with Lisa Louden is for one hour, either in person if you live in Melbourne, or via Skype or phone. This is a chance for you to ask anything you like about managing pain or perhaps running a cost-effective magazine or starting in journalism – it's up to you. If you live in Melbourne, Lisa will make every effort to come to you, because she knows that when you're in the thick of it, chronic pain can sometimes make travel quite difficult.
'Moments of Connection' books kindly donated by Little Black Dog Publications. Testimonials and a video about the book can be found on the buy page of Adore Animals.
The one-to-one session with Lisa Louden is for one hour, either in person if you live in Melbourne, or via Skype or phone. This is a chance for you to ask anything you like about managing pain or perhaps running a cost-effective magazine or starting in journalism – it's up to you. If you live in Melbourne, Lisa will make every effort to come to you, because she knows that when you're in the thick of it, chronic pain can sometimes make travel quite difficult.
'Moments of Connection' books kindly donated by Little Black Dog Publications. Testimonials and a video about the book can be found on the buy page of Adore Animals.
How The Funds Will Be Used
Here's a visual breakdown of our costs. If you would like more detail, please feel free to contact me.
The Challenges
While we have carefully calculated this project’s budget, through our publishing experience we know that there’s always a chance that some expenses may be higher than first planned.
Nevertheless, as most of our projects have been for greater causes, we have learnt to be lean, without sacrificing quality, by using organisational and research skills, investing in solid plans, being creative, asking lots of questions and using our and others’ experience. We also have good relationships with printers, graphic designers, proofreaders, editors, PR agents and pain organisations and networks.
This is a project we are determined to make happen, as many people have worked hard for it and because we believe it really will make a difference to people with chronic pain.
We’re aiming for the book to be available mid-to-late December, 2014.
Nevertheless, as most of our projects have been for greater causes, we have learnt to be lean, without sacrificing quality, by using organisational and research skills, investing in solid plans, being creative, asking lots of questions and using our and others’ experience. We also have good relationships with printers, graphic designers, proofreaders, editors, PR agents and pain organisations and networks.
This is a project we are determined to make happen, as many people have worked hard for it and because we believe it really will make a difference to people with chronic pain.
We’re aiming for the book to be available mid-to-late December, 2014.
Will get you a darn good thanking and your name on our website in honour of your help.
3 chosen
Est. delivery is Oct 14
Spend one dollar per hour for a day to show support for yourself or someone you love who’s in chronic pain and who generally experiences pain 24/7. You’ll receive your name on our website and a download of the book (as an eBook or MP3).
3 chosen
Est. delivery is Dec 14
Receive a printed copy of the book within Australia and another copy of the book in any other format you like (CD, MP3 or eBook) as well as a ‘take control of your pain’ inspirational bookmark and a thank you on our website for being so brilliant.
4 chosen / 96 available
Est. delivery is Dec 14
As well as a printed copy of the book sent to anywhere in Australia and another copy of the book in any other format you like (CD, MP3 or eBook), an inspirational bookmark and a thank you on our website, you’ll also receive two gifts, the coffee table book 'Moments of Connection' and a yo-yo, yes a yo-yo, because when you have chronic pain you need to remember about fun!
1 chosen / 99 available
Est. delivery is Dec 14
Your generosity will forever be remembered with your name in print in the book in our acknowledgements section. You’ll also receive a signed copy of the book sent to anywhere in Australia, an eBook and an audio book (CD or MP3), an inspirational bookmark, a thank you on our website, and the gifts of the coffee table book 'Moments of Connection' and the ‘perfect for remembering how to have fun’ yo-yo.
2 chosen / 98 available
Est. delivery is Dec 14
Become a Silver Level Donor with an invitation to our Book Launch Party in Melbourne*, your name at the front of the book on a dedicated supporters page, two signed copies of the book, an eBook and an audio book (CD or MP3). You’ll also receive an inspirational bookmark, a thank you on our website, and the gifts of 'Moments of Connection' and a yo-yo, which can be attempted regardless of physical mobility or yo-yo skill! *venue and launch date to be confirmed
0 chosen / 50 available
Est. delivery is Dec 14
You are amazing and for your big-hearted contribution you’ll become a Gold Level Donor and will receive two invitations to our Book Launch Party in Melbourne*, your name at the front of the book on a dedicated supporters page under ‘Gold’, as well as three signed copies of the book, an eBook and an audio book (CD or MP3), an inspirational bookmark, a thank you on our website, and the gifts 'Moments of Connection' and a yo-yo to try some old-fashioned fun! *venue/launch date to be confirmed
0 chosen / 30 available
Est. delivery is Dec 14
Your awesome support makes you a Platinum Level Donor & includes a one-to-one session with author Lisa Louden either in person* via phone or Skype - ask away about pain or publishing! You’ll also get 4 invitations to our Book Launch Party in Melbourne**, your name prominently at the front of the book, 5 signed copies of the book, an eBook, an audio book (CD or MP3), a thank you on our website, bookmark, 'Moments of Connection' and a yo-yo. * in Melbourne **venue/launch date to be confirmed
6 chosen / 9 available
Est. delivery is Dec 14