Help ease the pain for people living with arthritis

Your generosity is changing lives and bringing us closer to a pain-free future!

The beginning of a new year brings hope and renewed energy. At Arthritis Society Canada, we’re channeling this into helping the six million people in Canada living with arthritis. We have made progress, but our work is far from over. Without continued action, nine million people in Canada will be living with arthritis by 2040.

This year we aim to achieve even more. Your gift today will help us continue our momentum — funding cutting-edge research, empowering more individuals to manage their pain, and working toward a brighter, pain-free future for all. Thank you for being part of this vital mission!

Treating hip dysplasia at birth and preventing future hip osteoarthritis

A baby having a hip ultrasoundThanks to donor support, we’ve partnered with Dr. Jacob Jaremko at the University of Alberta to advance the Newborn Arthritis Prevention Screening (NAPS) Project, detecting and treating hip dysplasia in infants and preventing future hip osteoarthritis.

Each year in Canada, it’s estimated that 10,500 infants are born with hip dysplasia, with 90% of cases going undetected with the current screening approach. Hip dysplasia increases the likelihood of hip osteoarthritis and is the number one cause for hip replacements in people under the age of 40. The NAPS Project, led by Arthritis Society Canada and Dr. Jaremko, uses advanced AI technology to detect hip dysplasia in babies within seconds through a portable ultrasound device.

This is an important advancement; if detected at birth, hip dysplasia can be easily treated with a simple brace, eliminating this leading cause of hip osteoarthritis. With continued donor support, we will revolutionize diagnosis, expand this technology across the country, and save millions in healthcare costs — while preventing future cases of osteoarthritis.

Advancing research to improve chronic osteoarthritis pain

Dr Harris and an image knee joint and boneYour generosity enables research like Dr. Ashley Harris’ study at the University of Calgary, exploring brain chemistry to improve pain treatments for those with chronic knee osteoarthritis, even after surgery.

Did you know that some people continue to experience knee osteoarthritis pain even after a total knee replacement? Dr. Harris is exploring whether this is linked to imbalances in brain chemicals related to chronic pain. Her team will use specialized imaging techniques to measure these chemicals before and after surgery, aiming to uncover insights that could improve pain treatments and enhance the lives of those living with chronic osteoarthritis pain.

From groundbreaking research like Dr. Jaremko’s and Dr. Harris’ to essential support programs and advocacy efforts, our focus is clear: find solutions that improve the lives of people who live with the agony of arthritis. Give today to help create a pain-free future for people living with arthritis.


 

FAQ


About Arthritis Society Canada


Arthritis Society Canada is dedicated to extinguishing arthritis.

Donor support is critical because without action now, the number of people in Canada living with arthritis will soon grow to nine million.

Our donors are heroes, providing essential funds to accelerate our efforts and bring us closer to finding better treatments and, ultimately, a cure. We thank each of our everyday heroes, who share our vision of ending the agony of arthritis.

Our promise to you: Arthritis Society Canada is committed to honouring your generosity and using it in the most effective way. If funds raised exceed the amount required for the designated purpose, Arthritis Society Canada, acting reasonably, may allocate the donation towards the organization’s highest priority needs.