2010

For 2009/10 EULAR adopted a two year project looking at work and rheumatic disease under the theme ‘Let’s Work Together’. The theme considered the challenges of work, be it paid employment, voluntary work or work at home supporting a family, and embraced people with RMDs, healthcare professionals and employers.

In 2010 a pack of materials was developed for people with RMDs called Winning Ways to Work which aimed to support people with RMDs entering the workplace for the first time, to help people who develop an RMD whilst in work to remain in work and for people with RMDs wishing to return to work after rehabilitation. 

2009

For 2009/10 EULAR adopted a two year project looking at work and rheumatic disease under the theme ‘Let’s Work Together’. The theme considered the challenges of work, be it paid employment, voluntary work or work at home supporting a family, and embraced people with RMDs, healthcare professionals and employers. As part of the theme, a Charter for Work for people with rheumatic diseases was developed and launched at the European Parliament and later in many European countries.

A photographic competition called ‘Picture This’ was run on the website with the aim of finding positive pictures of people with RMDs who had found ways to work successfully.

2008

The 2008 theme for World Arthritis Day was ‘Think Positive’. This theme acknowledges that the challenges associated with RMDs can affect people emotionally, but that there are a number of positive things that can be done to help people with RMDs to feel better in themselves and get more from their lives. The campaign focused on improving access to psychological support and self-management courses to help enable people with RMDs to contribute fully to society and lead independent and fulfilled lives.

2007

The theme for World Arthritis Day 2007 was that ‘Small Things Matter’ for people with RMDs - those everyday challenges around the home, when travelling, shopping or at school, college or in the workplace. A personalised health passport to help individuals and their doctors make the most of their consultations was launched as well as Video Diaries, highlighting that daily life can be full of challenges for people with RMDs.

2006

The World Arthritis Day website was given a new look and the theme for the year was ‘Take Action’ with a focus on the benefits of exercise for people with RMDs.  The site featured an online survey and a Take Action booklet on exercise and arthritis was produced in English as well as factsheet on Exercise and Ankylosing Spondylitis, Exercise and Osteoarthritis, Exercise and Rheumatoid Arthritis.

2005

In 2005 the theme for World Arthritis Day was ‘Quality of Life‘ and a booklet was produced called ‘Arthritis: Quality of Life – Living without pain.

2004

The theme for 2004 was ‘Early Diagnosis‘.  It sought to raise awareness of the symptoms of arthritis amongst the public and healthcare professionals and to encourage policy makers to make arthritis a greater priority on the European and national healthcare agendas. 

2003

2003 was the year of the launch of the World Arthritis Day (WAD) website with the theme focused around ‘Arthritis and Sport‘.  WAD raised awareness of osteoarthritis and the importance of taking care of joints early on in life with preventative measures to reduce the risk of developing the condition.