Mims Davies, the Member of Parliament for Eastleigh, has pledged to work alongside the leading charity Arthritis Research UK to represent the thousands of people across the Eastleigh constituency living every day with the pain of arthritis.
Speaking about becoming an Arthritis Champion, Mims said:
“I am proud to champion Arthritis Research UK’s policy calls to tackle the prevention, transformation and cure of arthritis. We need to put the issues affecting people with arthritis at the forefront of Parliament’s agenda.”
“I am committed to making a difference. Together we can fight this painful condition that has such a huge impact on all aspects of people’s lives across my constituency of Eastleigh.”
“As someone that has always identified the importance of healthy eating and exercise, I was particularly interested to learn that healthy meals and physical activity play such an important role in lowering the chances of suffering from arthritis.”
Dr Liam O’Toole, chief executive officer of Arthritis Research UK, said:
“I am delighted that Mims has become an Arthritis Champion. It is imperative that we have the support of as many MPs and Peers as possible to stand up for the rights of people with arthritis.
“There needs to be a public health approach focusing on preventing arthritis, transforming services and finding a cure for the 10 million people affected by this devastating condition. It’s vital we work together to make life better for everyone affected by arthritis.”
Arthritis is the single biggest cause of disability and pain across the country with 10 million people living with arthritis, and other musculoskeletal conditions such as back pain. The pain, fatigue and lack of mobility caused by arthritis affects every aspect of a person’s life, making everyday tasks such as making a cup of tea, travelling to work or getting out of bed extremely difficult.
As well as the personal impact, these conditions amount to the third largest area of NHS spending, with an annual budget of £4.8 billion, and are the cause of one in five working days lost in the UK.
For further information visit www.arthritisresearchuk.org/campaign or email action@arthritisresearchuk.org