Sir David has pledged to continue the fight alongside Arthritis Research UK for the thousands of local people in Southend West living every day with the pain of arthritis.
A large number of people are living with the most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis of the knee, with many more living with other forms of the condition.
Before the election, Sir David joined forces with Arthritis Research UK and agreed to become an ‘Arthritis Champion’, supporting the charity’s ‘Prevent, Transform, Cure’ manifesto.
Musculoskeletal conditions, including osteoarthritis, back pain and osteoporosis are the single biggest cause of disability and pain across the country, 10 million people in the UK are in pain right now because of arthritis.
The pain, fatigue and lack of mobility prevents millions of people doing simple tasks such as making a cup of tea or walking to the shops.
The manifesto called for an end to the myth that nothing can be done for people with arthritis.
In the run up to the election Sir David became an Arthritis Champion and pledged to:
• campaign to make musculoskeletal conditions a public health priority
• fight to ensure that people with arthritis get high-quality care at the time that they need it
• champion the UK’s leadership role in medical research.
Speaking about the manifesto at Arthritis Research UK’s reception, Sir David said:
“I’m proud to be an Arthritis Champion for the thousands of local people living with the pain of arthritis. We need to put the issues that people with arthritis face at the forefront of the new Parliament’s agenda, and work to transform services for the better.
“Today I’ve learnt more about the vital work of Arthritis Research UK and heard first-hand about some of the challenges people living with the condition face daily.
“I’m committed to making a difference in my first 100 days in Parliament and beyond. Together we can fight this debilitating condition that has such a huge impact on all aspects of people’s lives in Southend West.”
Dr Liam O’Toole, chief executive officer of Arthritis Research UK, said:
“I’m delighted that Sir David is our Arthritis Champion in Southend West. The support of our champions is paramount to highlight the needs of people with arthritis.
The vision for the future is clear, there needs to be a public health approach focusing on preventing arthritis and transforming the services for the 10 million people affected by this devastating condition and ultimately support medical research seeking to find a cure. Together we can make this happen.”
If you want to stop arthritis devastating people’s lives, join the fight against arthritis in your local area. For further information visit www.arthritisresearchuk.org/voice or email [email protected]