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National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week
By Kerrie Smyres | September 10, 2007
National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week, which begins today, lets people know that an illness doesn’t have to be seen to be real. Check out these statistics from Rest Ministries, the sponsor of the week.
- Nearly 1 in 2 Americans (133 million) has a chronic condition
- 96% of them live with an illness that is invisible. These people do not use a cane or any assistive device and may look perfectly healthy.
- Sixty percent are between the ages of 18 and 64
- The divorce rate among the chronically ill is over 75%
- Depression is 15-20% higher for the chronically ill than for the average person
- Various studies have reported that physical illness or uncontrollable physical pain are major factors in up to 70% of suicides and more than 50% of these suicidal patients were under 35 years of age
Rest Ministries is hosting an online conference about living with invisible illness. With four presentations one-hour sessions each day for five days, there’s a ton to learn. There are 20 workshops, including:
- Going Back to School When You Have a Chronic Illness
- Don’t Be Invisible: Workplace Success with Invisible Chronic Illness
- Building a Business Vision While Honoring and Accommodating Your Health
Visit the National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week website for articles and resources for living with an invisible illness.
Topics: Community, Coping, Society | No Comments »