New Campaign, This is Pain, Launches to Help Those Living with Chronic Pain

 

 

Herm Cukier the CEO of BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc. (BDSI) and Pain Specialist Nurse Practitioner Dr. Mandy Francis, ARNP- DC, joins eHealth Radio and the Pain Management and Health News Channels to talk about a new campaign they are launching called THIS IS PAIN.

This Is Pain is a campaign to improve the lives of the over 10 million people living with chronic pain in America. It is a platform for individuals living with chronic pain to be seen and heard - amongst their peer groups, in the workplace, by their healthcare professionals, and society at large in the hope that by shedding light on the realities of living with chronic pain, together we can become a driving force for positive change.

 

Listen to interview with host Eric Michaels & guest Herm Cukier & Dr. Mandy Francis discuss the following:

1. Tell me about This Is Pain and what you hope to achieve launching this campaign?
2. What exactly is chronic pain and what don't people understand about the disease?
3. What do you believe would better the lives of chronic pain patients/what do you see you patients experience?
4. What can we expect in the coming months from the campaign?
5. How can people like me and you support this community?

Herm Cukierhas acted as the Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors at BioDelivery Sciences (BDSI) since May 2018.

From December 2013 to April 2018, he served in various capacities at Allergan plc, ultimately as Senior Vice President, Head of Commercial Strategy and Innovation. He also served as the Senior Vice President of Allergan’s Eye Care division and as Senior Vice President of Allergan’s Woman’s Healthcare division.

He began his career in 1992 at Pfizer and later served as Executive Director of Global Marketing at Bristol-Myers Squibb. Mr. Cukier received an MBA from the Columbia Business School and a BSE in Bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania.

 

Dr. Mandy Francis attended the University of Detroit Mercy and obtained a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Mandy has spent most of her nursing career working in Neurology inpatient services at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital before practicing outpatient services at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan.

Mandy completed a Master’s of Science of Nursing and became a board certified Nurse Practitioner through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) before starting her career working as a Neurology/Pain Specialist Nurse Practitioner. Mandy began working in Interventional Pain Management in 2014.

Mandy completed her Doctorate of Nursing Practice at Barry University in 2018. Mandy believes strongly in providing not only safe and professional patient care, but advocating for patients and their families with regards to their health care. She supports a positive experience when going to the doctor’s office and wants her patients to feel like more than just “a number.” She believes in the collaborative efforts of patient and practitioner in the plan of care and is very passionate about her field, as she enjoys the work she does tremendously!

Mandy was born in Illinois but grew up in the Brandon, Florida area. In her spare time, Mandy enjoys reading, walking, going to the beach, and spending time with friends and family.

BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc. (Nasdaq: BDSI) (“BDSI”) launch This Is Pain, a long-term initiative that aims to improve the lives of over 10 million[1] American adults living with chronic pain.

Chronic pain is one of the most common reasons[2] that Americans visit a healthcare professional and yet this disease is widely misunderstood and can be incredibly isolating, debilitating and frustrating for those living with it. This is in large part, due to the fact that each person’s pain is highly individualized and not visible to that person’s peers, colleagues and wider society.

This Is Pain seeks to first confront the stigma around the disease state, creating widespread awareness and empathy, in order to ultimately combat the systemic challenges those living with chronic pain face. These challenges include experiencing unfair treatment in the workplace and difficulty in accessing affordable treatment options. The long-term goals of the campaign include achieving the following:

1. Wider societal recognition of chronic pain as a disease state, not a symptom
2. Policy change to increase access to safe and effective treatment options for chronic pain individuals living with chronic pain
3. Increased research funding to improve existing treatments and develop innovative therapies for individuals living with chronic pain
4. Fairer treatment and representation in the workplace.

“People living with chronic pain face unimaginable hurdles and struggles in their daily lives and I believe that we can alleviate some of the challenges they face by first drawing attention to what it is really like to live with pain.” stated Herm Cukier, CEO of BDSI. “We know that change is borne out of a communal desire to act and that is exactly what we need to achieve to impact the lives of those living with chronic pain.”

Event: This Is Pain: An Exhibition by Trina Merry Art Exhibit
Date: Thursday, December 12th - Sunday, December 15th
Time: 8:00AM - 8:00PM
Location: The Oculus Outdoor Plaza - New York City
Social: #ThisIsPain @ThisIsPain
Website: www.thisispain.com

BDSI has partnered with visual artist Trina Merry and the American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA) to bring to life the stories of eight individuals who are living with chronic pain. The one-of-a kind artwork will be displayed in an exhibition at Oculus Plaza in New York City starting December 12th through December 15th.

Penney Cowan of the ACPA says of the exhibition, “If we can encourage people to take a moment out of their day to learn about the disease and really see how this disease impacts those living with chronic pain , we believe we can start to generate the support we need to effect real change.”

BDSI will continue to pursue its endeavor until significant improvements are made at a systemic level.

 

 

Website: www.thisispain.com