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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, August 22, 2013 | 20 ILC has assisted in 150 chronic pain cases across Canada continued from p.3 jor medical disciplines and have a multi-disciplinary group come together to learn from the experts through workshops." In addition, the ILC is funding and facilitating a scientific workshop Oct. 4-5 to set the parameters of how the foundation will move forward with its DDD program. Although Brooklyn and her EDS were the inspiration behind the ILC's creation, the foundation deals with several chronic pain conditions, including: gastro-intestinal issues, such as Crohn's disease; neuropathic pains caused after cancer treatment/care; multiple sclerosis (MS); arthritis; fibromyalgia; and helping youths transition into adult care from the hospital system. "There are peer support groups for the adult population, but not for teens and young adults. They just don't exist," Smeenk said. "ILC's review has been that the healthcare system supports the child population with their parents very well through the hospital. But when you hit adolescence and your young adult years, those peer support groups aren't there." ILC tries to fill the gap in that respect. discovered that other members in the family had confirmed diagnoses of EDS Joint Hypermobility. The family has since connected with several other families experiencing similar situations through ILC's peer support network Raising awareness Smeenk says she has been trying to raise awareness of the problem of chronic pain in children, youths and the young adult population at the Ministry of Health level. "In January, the Ministry of Health called us into a meeting because they had heard about the ILC from families who had written the health minister saying they had received better care from the ILC Foundation than they had in 10 years in the health-care system," she said. The nearly two-hour meeting was spent discussing the ILC and how the foundation is creating an integrated peer support network in the Halton, Peel and Hamilton health sciences to help bridge the gaps in healthcare, Smeenk explained. "The health minister's office had told us they were working on a framework for chronic pain in adults, but they had no idea that children in pain was such an issue -- that was January 2013. That made me mad," she admits. Thankfully, Smeenk says, the doctors on the ILC medical advisory board have told her change is coming. The ILC has vetted and organized what will become Canada's first 21-day pilot program for rehabilitation for parents and children suffering from chronic pain through the McMaster Hospital. The program will be designed so that medical school students can participate in its delivery and familiarize themselves with the "invisibilities of chronic pain" conditions, explains Smeenk. "Our goal is to solve the problem of pain. It's the critical challenge of chronic pain in children and youth to bridge the gaps," she said. "And that's what we're going to do through the DDD -- to fund the research so that best-care practices can be developed and raise awareness at the Ministry of Health level." For more information on the ILC Foundation, visit www.ilcfoundation.org. Health "Connected to your Community" National aid Since its inception, the ILC Foundation has assisted in more than 150 cases across Canada, such as: · The case of Dominic Boivin, a Calgary teen who took his life after four years of struggling with constant, and mysterious, bodywide pain. The ILC Dominic Boivin Fund was set up to raise awareness and funds to help bridge the gaps of chronic pain and its associated mental health in children and youths through a national peer support network · A 10-year-old Caledon boy sufHelping Families Every Step of the Way! fering from neuropathic pain after his cancer chemotherapy treatment. The boy's mother reached out to ILC, Dental Check-up ment which provided resources to help inOrthodontist appoint crease social and physical activities Hair Cut through sport programs, a special Eyes Checked care package to raise his spirits and provided him with tickets to a ToBut what about your spine? ronto Rock lacrosse game, donated Don't forget how incredibly important your spine and by the sports organization nervous system are for your health! Call TODAY to schedule your family wellness consultation! · A 16-year-old Burlington teen who 250 Wyecroft Rd., Unit 15, Oakville, ON attempted suicide because of underdiagnosed chronic pain. The teen and Dr. Jenna Davis their family met with a geneticist at Family Chiropractor/Acupuncturist McMaster Hospital working with the 905.844.WELL (9355) ILC and its DDD program and they www.acornhealth.ca drdavis@acronhealth.ca Upcoming ILC charitable events: · Make it Right fundraiser for Oakville family living with EDS, Saturday, Sept. 14, Shakers Tap and Grill, 580 Kerr St., 1 p.m.-1 a.m., evening will include Mike Holmes and his crew, Big Daddy's food and more. · ILC Family Peer Support event, Saturday, Sept. 21, contact ILC Foundation for more. · A Taste of Mindfulness lecture series with Dr. Stephane Treyvaud in Oakville, Sept. 28. · ILC Foundation scientific workshop to develop best practices for the diagnoses, treatment and care of EDS, Oct. 4-5. · Oakville's Largest Rock'n Roll Party celebrates its 10th year, one single night supporting families in three communities (Oakville, London and Niagara Falls) living with EDS with high costs to health care in the U.S. and the ILC's Difficult to Diagnose Disease Program, contact the ILC foundation for more information. 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