
The PAE General Assembly took place on the 24th of June, 2020, in a digital/virtual format. Twenty-three people from PAE Board, secretariat and member organisations registered for this meeting.
During the meeting, we heard about PAE core activities, projects, discussed the plans for the next year and we approved relevant documents for the functioning of the association.
A new Board member was elected at the meeting: Gemma Fernandez. She said: “It is an honor for me to be part of the PAE Board. At this moment, in this changing world, we must continue to fight pain. For me, it is a new opportunity to continue giving a voice to all those who in one way or another suffer from chronic pain. The important thing for me is the quality of life that we all have the right to. From my experience, I hope to help and work to achieve our goals. Now more than ever we must be united for a strong fight.”
Another election was for the new member organization de Maretak, an independent patient organization run for and by people with chronic pain in Belgium. “By joining PAE we hope to help improve the lives of chronic pain sufferers on a more international level.” stated de Maretak members.
PAE is proud to now have 44 members in 19 European countries.
The website Change Pain was shown as well as the first results of the PAE survey on COVID-19 and Chronic Pain. At the end of the General Assembly, PAE members had a lecture from Prof. Dr Liesbeth de Lange, for the project QSPain Relief . PAE’s President, Joop van Griensven, is part of the project’s Scientific and Ethical Advisory Board (SEAB).