The grounding principle of Isal Foundation is the promotion of the concept of pain perceived as a disease, a disease that can be treated and cured. ISAL is characterized by a supportive and operating network, composed of 16 regional ISAL headquarters, more than 100 operative entities involved in the organization of events and concrete actions aiming to raise awareness in the field of pain, the network of patients’ association, first of all VitaINdolore, the chronic pain patients’ association established and created by ISAL.
The social activity carried out by ISAL consists of several actions:
– To recognize chronic pain as a disease that can be prevented and treated.
– To support the national application of law 38 (the right that guarantees the access to pain treatment centres and palliative care).
– To solicit and stimulate the media to contribute to the struggle against pain.
– To encourage and support healthcare initiatives to prevent and manage chronicity in order to meet the needs of people with chronic pain.
– To promote the certification of disability for people living with chronic pain.
– To raise awareness and to inform the population on the prevention and the treatment of pain.
– To fundraise in order to support the research on chronic pain.
In order to carry out such actions, ISAL organizes each year since 2011 the Worldwide Day Hundred Cities Against Pain. The Day has received the high Patronage of the President of the Italian Republic, the Patronage of the Presidency of the Italian Ministers’ Council, and the Patronage of the Italian Conference State Region. In addition, the logo of the Italian Semester was among the symbols that the Foundation has exhibited on its instruments.
Thanks to 100 Cities Against Pain, ISAL Foundation is present in cities’ main streets and squares, goes to Italian hospitals to talk about pain, to raise awareness, to make pain more visible as a real and dramatic presence and to let people know that this disease can be cured and must be cured.
The number of local entities involved in Worldwide Day has visibly increased over the years. The 2015 edition, scheduled on Saturday, October 3rd, will involve 102 Italian cities, 8 cities abroad and more than 90 Italian hospitals. Like every year, a press conference is held the week before the 3rd of October at the Senate Library in Rome, a key meeting that is annually attended by Italian political personalities, guests from Italy and abroad and representatives of the patients’ associations. This year, the Press Conference will be held on the 25th of September. During the same week, the information campaign on chronic pain will be organized in the hospitals involved in the Day.
Individuals, patients, doctors, associations, and other organizations can join the celebration of the Worldwide Day in different ways: by organizing their own events in cities or hospitals and/or by supporting the initiative website and social networks.
100 Cities Against Pain is also supported by the Web campaign #Zeropain, a campaign that brings together people from all-over the world and that during the International Day share their selfies and comments to say “No!” to chronic pain.
Every person and every organisation can contribute to the World Day Against Pain, by joining the online campaign #zeropain.
The steps are very easy:
1) Take a picture of yourself holding a paper with the writing ˝I’m against Pain˝ in your own mother tongue
2) Post this picture on Facebook, tagging the page of ISAL Foundation, or post it on Twitter and Instagram adding the hashtag #zeropain15
Contact and information:
Chiara Moretti
Tel.: 00393451426469
Mail : chiara.moretti@fondazioneisal.it
Website: www.fondazioneisal.it