NFA Helps Fibromyalgia Patients, Families and
Friends Stay Connected with New CarePages.com Services

The social network site facilitates communications and support, which studies
show contribute to better patient experiences and outcomes

ANAHEIM, Calif. (January 30, 2009)—The National Fibromyalgia Association now offers patients, their families and friends direct access to CarePages.com, an online community of people coming together to share the challenges, hopes and triumphs of anyone facing a life-changing health condition.

Through the free, personalized CarePages websites, patients and caregivers can relate their stories, post photos and update friends and family instantly. In turn, people in similar situations can share their experience, offer encouragement and tips for healing. Patients, families and healthcare nonprofit organizations are protected online through strict privacy policies, password-protection and visitor management tools.

“The ability to interact online with others affected by fibromyalgia was among the most sought-after services mentioned in the NFA’s August Community Survey, in which more than 4,200 individuals took part,” says Lynne Matallana, president and founder of the NFA. “We are pleased to be able to respond to their needs through our partnership with CarePages.”

With this new service, the NFA is in the forefront of a growing trend among healthcare groups to improve the overall patient experience by recognizing and meeting their need to connect and share with others facing similar challenges.

Several clinical studies have concluded that emotional support can have a positive effect on the healing process. For example, an article in the Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Safety (December 2003), reported that emotional well-being has been shown to be predictive of survival and functional independence among older patients. Additionally, in two separate studies published in the American Journal of Cardiology, the findings indicated that “the lack of social support is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in ischemic heart disease.”

“The National Fibromyalgia Association recognizes that communication and personal interactions can transform health challenges into more positive experiences for all participants,” says Eric Langshur, CEO of CarePages, Inc. “CarePages has helped millions of patients connect on a deeper level with their families and friends as well as others in similar situations, and we are proud to welcome the NFA into the CarePages community.”

This new program can be accessed from the home page of the NFA’s website. Simply visit http://www.FMaware.org/ and click on “Meet Others in the FM Community.”

ABOUT THE NFA:
The National Fibromyalgia Association is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to develop and execute programs dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with fibromyalgia by increasing the awareness of the public, media, government and medical communities. The NFA publishes a quarterly magazine, Fibromyalgia AWARE and hosts an award-winning website at http://www.FMaware.org

ABOUT CAREPAGES, INC.
CarePages offers a private-labeled service to healthcare providers and support organizations that provides patients and families with free, personalized websites they can create to share their health journey. Private-labeled CarePages websites are offered by more than 700 U.S. and Canadian healthcare facilities and more than 150 nonprofit support organizations. The mission of CarePages is simple: to ensure that no one faces a health challenge alone.