About Don't Delay, Connect Today
In 2017, EULAR launched the Europe-wide campaign entitled ‘Don’t Delay, Connect Today’ with the goal to highlight rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) as major diseases and a public health concern of pandemic proportions, and that early diagnosis and timely access to treatment can prevent further damage and burden on the individual and society.
The campaign targets the public, physicians, health professionals, occupational health therapists, physiotherapists, psychologists and policy-makers.
Why it matters?
They say life is short – so give it your best shot. For many millions of people in Europe the opportunity to design a good life is however severely limited by a chronic disease.
There are over 200 rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases, RMDs. All of them can have debilitating effects on the individual, their life and career prospects, as well as national health care systems.
Approximately 100 million people in Europe are currently diagnosed with an RMD, there are however at least 100 million more who are living without a diagnosis.
EULAR started the campaign, Don’t Delay, Connect Today in 2017 with the purpose of raising awareness around the importance of early diagnosis and access to care – for all.
Don't Delay, Connect Today Life stories
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11-year-old Aran talks about his life living with a rheumatic and musculoskeletal disease |
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Meet Simon Stones who was diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, JIA, at the age of three. Today, Simon is undertaking advanced studies at university to obtain a PhD, and speaks about his ability to take action to bring his life onto this track thanks to early diagnosis. Simon believes in the importance of a collaborative approach between doctors, people including young people and their parents to enable successful outcomes for all. |
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Kate Betteridge was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, RA, at age 13. Her family doctor successfully identified symptoms and within eight weeks an accurate diagnosis was made. Early diagnosis enabled Kate to go on to fulfil her dream of becoming a journalist and to integrate the management of RA into her life, rather than letting RA dominate her life and passions |
Watch the "Don't Delay, Connect Today" full video playlist
EULAR PARE Member Organisations' participation
Member organisations of EULAR PARE have taken part in the Don't Delay, Connect Today campaign with a series of activities.
Click the country and scroll down to learn more.
Scotland, UK
The Don’t Delay, Connect Today campaign cycles to heights in Scotland, organised by the University of Glasgow and the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS).
A sponsored 185-mile cycle challenge will take the team across 10 of the outer Hebridean islands. Public engagement and awareness raising events at popular tourist landmarks and local towns will be organised. The team includes consultant rheumatologists, academic clinicians, scientists, PhD students and public engagement professionals from the Glasgow Science Centre.
The aim is to engage with those who would not normally have the opportunity to talk to rheumatology specialists or scientists, at public engagement events, due to geographical location.
Through this engagement they will highlight the importance of identifying early signs of musculoskeletal disease along with early treatment, hopefully encouraging people to connect with the rheumatology services if required.
The activities will take place in May 2018 and it will end on 18 May at Stornoway the last stop of the cycle route with a celebratory finishing event.
Related Information
EULAR Campaigns
EULAR hosts campaigns to help achieve its goal in the area of Advocacy: to increase participation in work by people with RMDs by the year 2023.
Contact
For more information, contact publicaffairs@eular.org
EULAR PARE sessions at the EULAR European Congress of Rheumatology
A series of scientific programme sessions were held at the EULAR European Congress of Rheumatology around the Campaign Don't delay, Connect Today in order to provide further context to participants.
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