Did you know it’s National Pain Awareness Week? From November 6 – 12, the week is dedicated to generating awareness of pain and how patients who suffer from it can better manage their conditions.

The Centre for Pain Management at SickKids is an innovative, cutting-edge centre that champions excellence in patient care and leadership in research and education. The Centre promotes collaboration among a number of different departments at the Hospital and plays a vital role at the SickKids Research Institute.

In 2006, Alexandra was diagnosed with bone cancer. Part of her treatment at SickKids involved the team at the Pain Centre, which helped lead her to a successful recovery. But Alexandra is not alone. Many patients at SickKids suffer from many different types of pain. Sometimes mild, other times severe, symptoms often range and cause distress for both the patient and family if not treated properly. To help families deal with pain, the Child Life department will be holding a Coping Carnival this week with fun activities for patients and families to learn more about how to better manage their pain symptoms.

Please visit the SickKids Centre for Pain Management or the National Pain Awareness Week website for more information.