Liga Reumatoloxica Galega

President: Ana Isabel Vazquez Lojo
Vice President: Antonia Pombo
Secretary: Catherine Van Riel
Treasurer: Patricia Vázquez Lojo
Spokespersons: María Isabel Cabado, Adriana Sierra Mourón and Encarna López Dios

The Galician Rheumatology League (LRG) is a nonprofit organization created in 1996 and composed of people with rheumatic diseases, their families and Health professionals (Rheumatology, Pain Units, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Psychology, Sport).

The main objective is to offer support and advice to the person affected by a rheumatic disease and his/her family members. This implies, amongst others, information about the disease(s), available treatments and explaining the best ways to approach these ailments in order to get a rapid control and prevent potential physical and psychological sequelae that occur in many cases if the appropriate measures are not taken.

Since its founding in 1996, the League strives to improve the quality of life of the people affected by any type of rheumatic illness. She represents the group of people with these diseases to the administration, institutions and society, in order to sensitize the public authorities and the general public about the impact of rheumatic diseases on affected individuals and their families. LRG promotes research into the causes of these diseases and new treatments.

The League participates in programs, such as the Strategic Plan of chronic pain and the Patient Advisory Council of the Department of Health of the Autonomous Community of Galicia. The League participates in and proposes the organization of discussion forums, exchange of experiences and working groups in order to share our experiences and needs. In summary, improve the quality of life of people affected by a rheumatic disease, together with their familiar environment.

On the other hand, the LRG focuses on the prevention of pain in people susceptible to suffer from it, mainly through education and ergonomics programs in the work surrounding.

Projects and activities

1. Inform and educate patients and relatives about their illnesses so that they are able to better manage their health. Therefore, the League organizes and proposes specific courses and workshops taught by Health professionals.
2. The approach and management of Pain, which is one of the main manifestations of rheumatic diseases and the one with the most impact on the quality of life of patients, focuses a major part of our objectives.
3. Claiming pain units that work in an operational and coordinated manner, in order to meet the growing demands of affected patients of treatment processes involving pain.
4. Organization of recreational and social activities, with the aim of raising public awareness, make visible the rheumatic ailments and involve people who are part of our collective in activities for various purposes: to raise funds for the organization through concerts, theater or charity events. Developing a solidarity calendar involving young children with rheumatic diseases. Organizing and participating in sports events that promote health.
5. Having representation of our organization in all the Platforms that are related to rheumatic diseases and their treatments.
6. Develop online training for the general society, in order to prevent and address chronic pain. (At this date we are collaborating with the Ministry of Health in the design of the first Online course)
7. Enhance Programs and pharmacological treatments that reduce pain

The Galician Rheumatologic League is willing to participate and propose all necessary measures in order that the pain treatment for rheumatic diseases is performed in an effective manner, and by in the most indicated professional.

To raise the awareness of and educate the managers of financial resources designated to public health, that the management of pain requires more support and resources, preventing that way that many people have to resign and suffer pain during their lives.

Train rheumatic patients to that they can obtain the ability to handle, together with the health specialists, their process of pain in an appropriate manner.