1. The NFA’s mission is to develop and execute programs dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with Fibromyalgia (FM).

2. National Fibromyalgia Association Overview: Founded in 1997 in Orange, California by Lynne Matallana and Karen Lee Richards, the National Fibromyalgia Association (NFA) is the largest nonprofit [501(c)3] organization for people with fibromyalgia and other chronic pain illnesses. Lynne and Karen became acquainted in the mid 1990’s through a fibromyalgia (FM) chat group on the internet. Both women had seen numerous doctors before receiving a diagnosis and felt that many people were not receiving the medical attention and community support that they desperately needed. Before long, they were sharing ideas on how they could help others who were suffering with fibromyalgia. Through numerous late night e-mail chats, they concurred there was very little good information about this misunderstood and debilitating condition. They also concluded that patients and health care providers needed to unite to ensure helpful information was easily accessible to those with fibromyalgia. What began as a part-time altruistic venture quickly grew into a full time “life’s work” for Lynne and Karen. They applied for non-profit status for their organization and developed a mission platform designed to execute programs to improve the quality of life for people affected by FM. The National Fibromyalgia Association made a concentrated effort to create a voice for people with fibromyalgia through supporting and staging events, encouraging media coverage, and providing support and training to support group leaders. The NFA’s focus was to empower patients and to provide them with a new level of hope for the future. >>

3. Out of need came growth and in May, 2000, the National Fibromyalgia Association hosted its first CME/Patient conference— “Fibromyalgia Awareness Means Everything, FAME 2000.” The event became a benchmark in the patient community’s efforts to change the negative perceptions that existed about people with fibromyalgia. The following year, NFA hosted, “FAME 2001” in Chicago. By this time NFA’s partnership with the medical community was embedded in its organizational structure. Their commitment to partner with the medical community has garnered them a high-level of mutual trust, respect, and credibility as a patient organization. Over the next five years, the organization grew and expanded its efforts in support of the fibromyalgia community. The NFA launched the Fibromyalgia Aware Magazine , visits to their web site grew to over 10,000 per day, they created an annual national campaign for awareness “Fibromyalgia Awareness Day” on May 12th, hosted several symposiums, and developed Leaders Against Pain, a two-day media and advocacy training program for support group leaders from around the US and the world. This March, the NFA hosted “FAME 2006” with over 1,000 patients and health-care providers in attendance. The event marked a turning point for the NFA as they realized that many of the organization’s original goals had been met and new challenges stood before them. After the conference, NFA’s Board of Directors and its Medical Advisory Board met to evaluate and plan for the future. They concluded that the NFA should act as a conduit to increase communication and to unify efforts to aide the fibromyalgia community. A time line was established for the implementation of a multi-tiered program developed specifically to address many of the challenges that still face those organizations, companies, agencies, and individuals who are interested in helping people with fibromyalgia. It is our hope that the NFA will be able to help establish the partnerships necessary to secure a team that will forge forward, addressing the needs of the fibromyalgia community, and assuring that the future will bring support and relief to the millions of people who still must live every day with the chronic pain of fibromyalgia.