"LET'S WORK TOGETHER'' ACTIVITIES IN LITHUANIAN ARTHRITIS ASSOCIATION

Background: The year 2009 in Lithuanian arthritis association was matched with increasing number of members and branch organizations as well as financial deterioration all over the country and association itself. Objectives: To overview the Lithuanian arthritis activities during the year 2009. Results: The year 2009 started with the implementation of EULAR CHARTER FOR WORK. The Lithuanian arthritis association translated it into Lithuanian language and distributed among the branch organizations of the association. The copy of it was delivered to Health committee of Lithuanian Parliament, patients fund ``Ligoniu kasos''; and Lithuania Jobcenter. We think that the text included in this charter should encourage people with arthritis to believe in their abilities to get job and be paid according their professional skills. Lithuanian arthritis association proceeded to work according to their plans which mainly focused on World arthritis day activities. The WORLD ARTHRITIS DAY events went successfully during the whole day of 12th of October. The day began at 7 a.m. with the TV programm ``Good morning'' broadcasted through the main Lithuanian TV channel were the people from all the country had the opportunity to forward questions to the head of Department of Rheumatology during three hours programm time. This was followed with the Press conference where the representatives from the Health ministry, the head of Rheumatology center and the president of Lithuanian Arthritis association Ona Stefanija Telyceniene played the key roles leading the press conference. The main point of the conference were the ``white gloves'' activities to show the media how do the people with arthritis feel when writing, taking small things, combing hairs and doing buttons, etc. The patient conference began immediately after the press conference and this year hosted almost 300 people meaning much more participants than the year ago. The main idea of the conference was ``Let's work together'' resembling the main topic of EULAR PARE 2009. Not only lectures were interesting to the participants but also the physical exercises during the interruptions made people more enthusiastic and feel better. Radio and press were interested in taking interviews from the Lithuanian arthritis association president and rheumatologists during the following days of the week. The printed material about rheumatic symptoms and how to care about joints were prepared for this event and distributed for the conference participants. The guests of the conference were Ankylosing spondylitis patients organization and Children suffering with rheumatic diseases organization. Conclusion: New people with new ideas are coming to organization to say about their needs and willing to get the answers and solutions from authorities and responsible organizations. Disclosure of Interest: None declaredCitation: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, volume 69, supplement 3, year 2010, page 749Session: Rheumatic diseases in the political arena – recent developments (Oral Presentations )