“No matter how small, any type of advocacy you do will have an impact.” - Lily Garner

According to the NIH, fibromyalgia affects 1 in 13 women in the US. That means about twice as many women are diagnosed with fibromyalgia as are diagnosed with colon cancer, and while you're not going to die from fibromyalgia, living with fibro pain and fatigue can feel like its own kind of death. Despite this and the fact that this rate is on par with or higher than many other conditions, fibromyalgia research continues to receive less funding than its counterparts.

The massive gap in advocacy and awareness means that while every woman knows to get a mammogram each year to screen for breast cancer or annual exams for cervical cancer, most doctors have never been taught how to screen for fibromyalgia or how to treat it. Some educational institutions still teach that fibromyalgia is a psychological disorder.

If we want this to change, we need more funding for fibromyalgia research and more people like today’s guests, Ann and Lily Garner, to advocate on behalf of our community. Ann and Lily Garner join Tami in this episode to discuss their experience advocating for fibromyalgia with lawmakers in Washington, D.C. Ann is a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach® who has lived with fibromyalgia for over 20 years and her 14-year-old daughter, Lily, has been living with chronic illnesses for the last six years.

In this conversation, Tami, Ann, and Lily talk about Lily’s diagnoses and the long journey of medical gaslighting to get there, the massive difference it makes when you find the right doctor, Ann’s decision to become a fibro coach, how Ann’s experience advocating for Lily led to her working with a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®, why Ann and Lily decided to go to D.C. to join fibromyalgia advocacy efforts, the importance of having young people as fibromyalgia advocates, what the day-to-day of their advocacy trip to D.C. looked like, the type of responses and reactions they received from lawmakers in D.C., what’s next for Ann and Lily, Ann’s work as a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®, and more.

Tami hopes this episode will inspire you to go out there, do your part, and let's change the world together.

Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers.

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on Facebook or Instagram.

Need a good book to read? Download Tami's books for free.

Ready to take back control of your life and health? Schedule a complimentary consultation with a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®.

Have you ever wondered why some people have an easier time managing their fibromyalgia than others?

We all have natural strengths and weaknesses and approach life in a unique way. Managing our fibromyalgia is no different.

Our personalities play a central role in how we approach life and our fibromyalgia, and research has shown that our personality traits have a direct influence on health outcomes and fibromyalgia symptoms.

Empowerment comes from figuring out exactly where your natural strengths and challenges lie so that you can support yourself in a sustainable way that will bring about the best possible outcome for you. To help you on that journey, Tami created the Fibromyalgia Wellness Style℠ Quiz, based on the five-factor model of personality, which measures specific traits from low to high.

In this episode, Tami discusses why she created the Fibromyalgia Wellness Style℠ Quiz, the five-factor model of personality, how the “big 5” personality traits affect fibromyalgia management, the two traits most associated with fibromyalgia symptoms and health outcomes, how Tami developed the four Fibromyalgia Wellness Styles℠, the benefits of understanding your Fibromyalgia Wellness Style℠, additional information and support you’ll receive if you choose to sign up for your advanced profile, early feedback from students and coaches who have discovered their Fibromyalgia Wellness Style℠, the main characteristics and challenges of each of the four Fibromyalgia Wellness Styles℠ - The Ponderer, The Prevailer, The Playmaker, and The Perfectionist, and more.

Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers.

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on Facebook or Instagram.

Need a good book to read? Download Tami's books for free.

Ready to take back control of your life and health? Schedule a complimentary consultation with a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®.

You're probably aware of the need for more research funding to help us develop new treatments for fibromyalgia. You’re probably also aware of the lack of training most doctors have when it comes to fibromyalgia. But did you realize that the two are connected? Research not only uncovers new potential treatments but also shapes how and what medical schools teach our providers.

Right now, the exact causes of fibromyalgia are unknown. We’ve uncovered many aspects of how it presents, but not enough for it to be definitively classified by medical institutions. That means we don't even know what specialists to see when we need a diagnosis.

How will this change? More research and advocacy for funding. This is a significant reason why Tami is so passionate about sharing her experience and the experiences of other people who have fibromyalgia.

Today, Tami is joined by Melissa Talwar, Executive Director of the Support Fibromyalgia Network, a national nonprofit dedicated to empowering individuals with fibromyalgia. In this conversation they discuss why the Support Fibromyalgia Network was formed and how it’s evolved since its founding, what federal advocacy looks like, tackling the lack of funding for fibromyalgia research, the need for systemic changes and research to be able to change the way medical providers are trained, the power of collaborative efforts and patient involvement in driving these systemic changes, the impact of research funding on developing effective treatments and classification for fibromyalgia, current challenges in classifying fibromyalgia, how you can get involved in fundraising and advocacy efforts for fibromyalgia funding and research, the process of going to Capitol Hill to meet with our representatives, how the Support Fibromyalgia Network supports and trains people who want to get started with advocacy, the need for preparedness in sharing our personal stories and experiences, the significance of obtaining governor proclamations and its impact on creating awareness and recognition, the power of a unified voice and collective advocacy, Melissa’s message for anyone who feels like there’s no progress despite the advocacy, being open to experimenting and layering different modalities and tools, exploring a holistic approach to improving your quality of life, upcoming initiatives for the Support Fibromyalgia Network, how a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach® can advocate for you and help you to advocate for yourself, resources you can access to learn more about fibromyalgia research and advocacy, and more.

Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers.

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on Facebook or Instagram.

Need a good book to read? Download Tami's books for free.

Ready to take back control of your life and health? Schedule a complimentary consultation with a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®.