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
 
 

 11-year-old Aran talks about his life living with a rheumatic and musculoskeletal disease
 
 
 

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. 
 
 

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.

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Serbia

The title of the campaign in Serbian is ‘’No delay, let’s act today SPOT EARLY’’ and involve patients, rheumatologist, health professional and GPs and the general public. Educational activities in Serbia are organised by the Association of Rheumatic Diseases Patients of the Republic of Serbia (ORS) in collaboration with Rheumatology Association of Serbia (RAS) and the Serbian Association of Health in Rheumatology (SAHPR).

News are disseminated via on the following website http://ors.rs/ne-odlazi-uoci-rano/ and via social media as well as at the National Annual Congress.

The aims are to

  • to improve knowledge and skills necessary to early diagnosis of Chronic inflammatory Arthitis diseases like RA, AS, PsA etc.
  • ensure timely access to the appropriate treatment that will improve their condition.
  • educate primary care doctors on how to recognise early enough the first signs of the above diseases and refer their patient to the appropriate specialists.

Latest actions:

  • On 31st May a press conference was held, led by a very famous Serbian journalist Ivana Bozovic. The campaign appeared in three TV stations following the event
  • On 25th June an educational second course in Nis, was organised.

Next steps:

  • course in Novi Sad (north of Serbia) on 11th September,
  • course in Vrnjacka Banja (Central Serbia) on 14th September,
  • Lecture on “ Don’t Delay Connect Today” campaign within joint session at the RAS/ORS Congress on 15th September.

 

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.

Read more

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.

See playlist

Join the conversation on social media #dontdelay