[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”FOCUS Fibromyalgie Belgique asbl” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_empty_space][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”19″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]Street: Rue Frérot 30
City: 7020 MONS
Country: Belgium
Tel: 00.32.65822431.
E-Mail:
gestionsecretariat@focusfibromyalgie.be
Website:
www.focusfibromyalgie.be
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Board members:
President name: Nadine Chard’homme
Vice President : Annie Pirmez
Secretary : Chantal De Glas
Treasurer: Chantal DeGlas
Member: Marie-Hélène Lejeune
Member: Agnes Miccoli
Member: Freddy Vantomme
Member : Annie Michaux[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]
History:
‘FOCUS Fibromyalgie Belgique asbl’ (in short, Focus FM) was created in early 1998 under the name ‘Ligue Belge Francophone des Patients Fibromyalgiques (LBFPF)’. In March 2008, its name was changed into ‘Focus FM’ because the services it offers by far outreach the sole aid to patients and the spreading of information specifically designed for those patients. In the long term, Focus FM hopes to become a reference organisation for fibromyalgia for any interested person. It is also important to make the volunteers. into professionals through offering them specific training.
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Objectives:
Our main objectives remain, among other things, providing help and information to patients. The recent changes to our statutes make official those of our activities that are aimed at our patients’ friends and family, as well as the professional healthcare and socio-cultural world and that of employment. To achieve this, it is necessary to promote any action aiming at improving and facilitating the patients’ autonomy by helping their integration as disabled people into society. It is necessary to make the medical profession and public institutions aware of the special place of chronic pain. It is important to distinguish fibromyalgia from depression. The awareness of FM symptoms must be raised so that patients can access social aids as easily as if they suffered from any other pathology whose existence is not controversial.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_custom_heading text=”Achievements, Activities and Events:” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]
Before 2008
| Activity name |
Objectives |
Date |
Venue |
| – Writing of Manifesto & – Writing of our 1st book approved by the scientific board: ‘Fibromyalgia, a Guidebook for Everyone’ |
– Raising awareness of the Federal Ministry for Health, to be able, among other things, to maintain 60 sessions of physiotherapy and to claim an effective care for fibromyalgia – That book is timelessly topical and can be of interest to everybody |
February 2002 & May 2004 |
Distributed in the political, medical and social areas Sold to any French-speaking person (Belgium, France, etc..) |
| Setting up of a databank about fibromyalgia |
To be able to provide trustworthy material to different kinds of public |
From 1998, year of the creation of our association |
From the Office |
| Setting up of a helpline and of monthly support groups for FM patients |
To break up the patients’ isolation |
Idem |
In different places of the French-speaking Community of Belgium |
| Organisation of lectures on specific themes, of information sessions on FM and of seminars, as well as training sessions for socio-professional staff working at patients’ homes |
To meet as many people as possible, whether they are patients or healthcare professionals, to provide information about FM |
Idem |
Idem |
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In 2008
| Activity name |
Objectives |
Date |
Venue |
| Revision of the running and the name of the association, setting up of a new website and celebration of the 10th anniversary of our association throughout 2008 through cultural, festive and informative activities (not to mention ENFA’s action at the European Parliament in Brussels) |
To officialize the activities that are parallel to the aid of patients in order to meet the expectations of different sorts of public. To adapt to the needs of our current society, or even, sometimes, to anticipate them by pinpointing slots that have not yet been exploited |
February 2008 |
Belgium |
| Participation in the international French-speaking Congress organised by FNAFF |
To demonstrate that the issue of FM is similar across borders. To make potential new collaboration possible. |
31 May 2008 |
Perpignan (France) |
| Setting up of our first ‘Awareness Week’ (that will be repeated in October 2008 during the European Week for Pain) |
To meet the existing needs concerning FM as far as the patients’ and the socio-professional world’s expectations are concerned. That project will be repeated in another place in October 2008 |
From 7 to 11 April 2008 |
Mons-Borinage (region where the Association is registered) |
| Launching of the book: ‘Fibromyalgia: When Words and Pain meet the Invisible’. Ed. Cortext |
That book has been warmly welcomed by patients and psycho-educative movements |
May 2008, first launching |
Belgium & other French-speaking countries. |
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Future activities
| Activity name |
Objectives |
Date |
Venue |
| Our annual seminar |
To ensure the fulfilment of our wish to respect our objectives as stated in Art. 3 of our Statutes |
October 2008 |
Brussels |
| To ensure the continuity of our presence, for instance with a stand, in various activities |
To meet the demands for specific information To meet a new public |
Continuity of actions begun several years ago |
French-speaking Community of Belgium |
| To develop partnerships and to pursue our representation in different associations (BDF, LUSS, AWIPH, city platforms, etc…) |
Working in a network creates a strength that reinforces the impact of the organised actions |
Continuity |
Idem |
| Operation ‘Blue Ribbons’ |
To intensify the actions organised on the Day for Fibromyalgia |
May of each Year |
Idem |
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Expectations from the Network
Our adhesion is proof of our trust in a new association that wishes to be a pillar in the European construction as far as the issue of fibromyalgia is concerned. The action organised in Parliament in May 2008 allowed awareness raising at an international level. It would be appropriate to think about a certain amount of standardization of the associations that are members of ENFA, keeping in mind the fact that it is impossible to create a rigid framework as each country has its own functioning. In the long term, it would be good to think of a concrete support of the patients’ expectations and of those of the associations which represent them, so that all could be considered as negotiating partners as such in their respective countries. It would no doubt be opportune to set up a European Congress every 3 or 4 years, which would invite world specialists (thus not only Europeans)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
