Creating research breakthroughs
We are forging a path toward a future where individuals can live pain-free. As Canada’s largest charitable funder of arthritis research, we invested $6.6 million in research, and brought together 170 research trainees, scientists, clinicians and consumer experts virtually at the 5th annual Canadian Arthritis Research Conference.
With Arthritis Society Canada’s support, Dr. Olufemi Ayeni at McMaster University is working to transform osteoarthritis treatment through the REPAIR Trial. He and his colleagues are combining elements of a limited microfracture while also applying collagen on top of the damaged cartilage to promote cartilage tissue regeneration. This project includes participants between 18-50 years of age with hip pain due to cartilage damage and early osteoarthritis.
“The goal of this trial is to evaluate if this novel repair will grow better functioning and more normal-appearing cartilage than the microfracture procedure. The ultimate goal is to evaluate which procedure will prevent the onset of osteoarthritis. In the best-case scenario, we find another viable treatment option to treat a wide range of patients with painful hips due to early arthritis and cartilage damage. The long-term hope is that we can delay the need for more involved surgery, such as hip replacement or other treatments.”
- Dr. Olufemi Ayeni, Professor and Academic Division Head of Orthopaedic Surgery at McMaster University
Advocating for lasting change
We are sounding the alarm on the social and economic costs of arthritis, fostering strategic partnerships to ensure every person living with arthritis in Canada has timely and equitable access to care, and setting new standards for action that command attention. Last year, we impacted 34 public policies, had over 75 meetings with government officials and released a landmark report on The State of Arthritis in Canada that garnered national attention.
The State of Arthritis in Canada Report Card
In a groundbreaking effort to improve arthritis care and awareness, we worked closely with our partners and communities across Canada to look at how provinces and territories are supporting people living with arthritis.
We found an urgent need for action and innovation in the field of arthritis care. Guided by our key findings, we are committed to helping develop an effective, solution-oriented Arthritis Action Plan that improves access to care, research and education.
Engagements with policymakers and advocates
Ontario lobby day
On October 19, our volunteers gathered with local MPPs and policy leads, including the Minister of Health, Opposition Health Critics, the Minister for Seniors and Accessibility, the Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity, and the Solicitor General, to share policy recommendations that would improve the lives of people living with arthritis in the province.
“It was great to see so many people who live with arthritis speaking up and raising awareness of the struggles of living with a chronic condition that has been so downplayed and dismissed. There were some amazing people there and it was a joy to participate.”
- Therese Lane, volunteer
Alberta leading the charge to stop osteoarthritis in its infancy
Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is a leading cause of early hip replacement. If detected in newborns, DDH can easily be treated, sparing them a lifetime of pain and arthritis. But right now, up to 90 per cent of DDH cases are missed. That’s as many as 25 babies born in Canada each day who are not being treated for DDH and may grow up to experience irreversible damage.
The Newborn Arthritis Prevention Screening (NAPS) Project led by Arthritis Society Canada and Dr. Jacob Jaremko at the University of Alberta has developed a way to screen and diagnose DDH easily and affordably using AI and a portable ultrasound, light as a hairbrush.
The low cost and affordability of this digital health device are game-changing, holding the potential to save millions of dollars for our healthcare system and providing equitable screening and diagnosis. We are prioritizing Indigenous babies, whose incidence of DDH is up to 12 times higher, and rural and remote communities, where screening is often not available.
To get this project launched, first in Alberta, Arthritis Society Canada will fund $10 million. We are bringing together government at all levels, Indigenous Peoples, and health system leaders to ensure the program is tailored for different regions and communities.
Within the next decade, we envision the majority of infants being screened for DDH as part of their routine checkups. That’s ensuring we prevent osteoarthritis in thousands of babies every year.
To learn more, please contact Chelsey McNeil at cmcneil@arthritis.ca.
Innovating for a better quality of life
Canada’s top scientific and entrepreneurial minds are coming together to create innovative solutions that will change lives. We continue to create breakthroughs by supporting entrepreneurs with promising ideas, fostering partnerships with leading innovators, and awarding grants that allow life-changing projects to get to the market.
2023 Arthritis Ideator Awards
Four Canadian innovators received the prestigious Arthritis Ideator Award for driving novel solutions to support people with arthritis to:
- reduce the time it takes to get a diagnosis
- match people to appropriate clinical trials
- find the right medication in the right dosage
- help people in rural and remote areas manage their disease.
$200,000 awarded to 4 entrepreneurs
“I cannot thank the Arthritis Society Canada Ideator Awards and the community enough for your support. With your funding we were able to reach significant milestones with our ‘recommendation engine’ AI technology and will continue to develop and collaborate with the ambassadors, clinicians and partners in the space to create a more patient-enabled experience when it comes to treatment and condition management.”
- Cassandra Hui, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Heal Mary
Heal Mary is a digital tool that uses machine learning to match people living with arthritis to clinical trials, giving them access to treatments not yet available elsewhere.
New partnership creates transformative opportunities for innovators
Arthritis Society Canada is investing in innovation through an exciting new partnership with Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management. CDL is an objectives-based program for massively scalable, seed-stage science and technology-based companies. With access to world-class mentors and an unparalleled network, CDL connects investors, scholars and risk-takers to support novel approaches to real-life challenges. This partnership ensures deeper support to innovators, helping them turn unique ideas into reality and support arthritis solutions.
Starting in April 2024, we are raising $750,000 to fund this partnership.
"CDL creates a marketplace for entrepreneurial judgment – through this partnership, experienced entrepreneurs will help founders scale their innovations in arthritis technology. We're absolutely thrilled to welcome Arthritis Society Canada to our global CDL community."
- Sonia Sennik, Executive Director at CDL
Bringing expert information and support to better serve communities
We are changing the conversation around arthritis by helping people understand the brutal realities of the disease, manage it and find ways to live life to the fullest despite their diagnosis. Last year, thanks to the generosity of Pfizer and our donors, we helped 83,079 people get expert information on arthritis through Arthritis Talks and assisted 2,846 people through the Arthritis Line and Arthritis Connections, our free telephone and email service and peer support program for people living with arthritis.
We are reaching more and more people in Canada each year.
“My mother wants to thank you for all your help and the information brochures you shared. She referred to them often and found them very helpful. I just wanted you to know how much you impacted her recovery. Your concern and encouragement was, and still is, very much appreciated!”
- Arthritis Line client, New Brunswick
Supporting kids with childhood arthritis
“Camp is a place where I can always be around people who understand me. This is something I value since I have never met anyone else with my condition other than when I am at camp.”
- Camper, 2023 Camp BC
Arthritis Rehabilitation and Education Program (AREP)
20,824 visits and 9,665 people reached through groups and presentations.
“Your knowledge and professionalism helped me address my physical needs as well as make me feel seen as an individual – not just another person on someone’s patient list. The road to close a diagnosis has been a long one; you have made this journey less lonely, and your professional support was a constant I needed during this process. You helped me find solutions in dealing with physical limitations to improve my quality of life while living with arthritis.”
- AREP client, Ontario
Community Action Grants
Arthritis Society Canada’s Community Action Grants are providing opportunities for people to connect, learn and thrive with arthritis in underserved communities.
“Participants are reading the material provided and researching more for themselves; they feel empowered. There is less of an atmosphere of 'Well, this is just the way it is; you can't change it' to a more positive outlook of 'This new information may help, and I am going to try this.'”
- Program Coordinator
Flourish 55+ Thriving with Arthritis, Nova Scotia
2023-24 Recipient of Community Action Grant