Arthritis sufferer wins Customer Hero award at the Everybody Awards after joining ESCAPE-pain programme
Pauline an ex-nurse and charity worker, was at an all-time low, she felt down constantly and was upset that she was unable to live the life that she wanted. She was riddled with self-doubt and lived her life fearful because of her arthritis.
Her constant pain made her unable to manage at home, and she believed full-time residential care was the way her life was going. Pauline used to be very active and had to stop doing her charity work because of her severe osteoarthritis. Pauline has had 2 hip and shoulder replacements and a recent knee replacement in July.
Pauline became desperate and claimed she had “lost all positivity”. Her daughter suggested ESCAPE-pain and brought her a leaflet.
Pauline thought “this is going to be a waste of time, how can this work. My daughter said I had nothing to lose.” Although reluctant, something clicked for Pauline and decided to take the plunge and called straight away.
ESCAPE-pain is a funded, 6 week, evidenced based rehabilitation programme, designed to reduce pain and disability for people with chronic joint pain or Osteoarthritis.
In the 6 week funded course you receive information, advice and support from Everybody Leisure’s qualified ESCAPE-pain Instructor’s to help better manage your chronic joint pain and lead a more active life. You’ll take part in a group exercise programme, twice a week over 6 weeks, tailored to your individual needs.
Pauline completed the 6 week funded programme, and her life has been transformed, she feels incredibly thankful for the support she has received, Pauline now goes to the gym regularly as well as attending the follow on class with all the friends she made on the programme.
In the first two weeks, Pauline couldn’t understand how 2 sessions a week could help her, and questioned how this works, was it just a gimmick? She felt her pain was so severe that nothing other than medication could help her.
Pauline didn’t think ESCAPE-pain could help her, and she wanted to quit in her first week, she didn’t believe that these exercises would help, but the support from Everybody Lifestyle Coach Gavin and the others on the programme helped her motivation to continue.
By week 3, Pauline had noticed a real difference in herself, physically – she felt more mobile and her pain was reduced, usually taking 8 strong painkillers a day, she had reduced this to only 2. She no longer felt reliant on her walking stick and was excited about how she would improve even more. She felt a lot better mentally and could feel herself becoming more like her old self, she was positive about the future and happier about her life.
Pauline completed 6 weeks of ESCAPE-pain and feels back to her old self, she is excited about her future and now lives without fear, even getting back into the garden and walking up and down the stairs unaided.
Pauline shares “I am delighted with the way I feel, I had a knee replacement in July so I am just planning my return back to the ESCAPE-pain classes.”
Because of Pauline’s hard work, determination and inspiring story, she was nominated by the team at Everybody Leisure for their Customer Hero award at their annual Everybody Awards ceremony, held at Crewe Hall on the 11th October 2019.
Pauline shares “I was shocked to be nominated and I was really shocked I won, I have never won anything like this before, my daughter cried, I didn’t think for one day I would win, I am delighted.”
Pauline now wants to support others who are unsure about completing ESCAPE-pain and recently spoke to a group on their first session to explain her experience and how it can help them. Pauline wants everyone to have the opportunity to change their life the way she did and is so grateful for the opportunity to complete the programme, so much so she takes the ESCAPE-pain leaflets and distributes them to others who will benefit and shares them with health care professionals.
If you would like to find out more information about the ESCAPE-pain programme please contact Everybody Healthy on email: [email protected], phone: 01270 685589 or click here.
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Notes to Editor
Everybody Sport & Recreation – Everybody Sport and Recreation is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee. As a Health and Wellbeing Charity, Everybody Sport and Recreation aims to provide ‘leisure for life’ by changing lives through healthy recreation. The charity operates 15 leisure facilities across the Cheshire East region as well as a range of Health, Leisure Development and Outreach programmes and the new Everybody Academy, providing local training and career opportunities. For more information please visit: www.everybody.org.uk or follow on Twitter @ebleisure.
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