For centuries men and women, young and old, have been affected by a disease in which little was known except its symptoms. But in 1948, a group of scientists and physicians came together to take action against this condition called arthritis. Their actions resulted in the formation of the Arthritis Foundation.

The Arthritis Foundation is the only nationwide nonprofit health organization helping people take greater control of arthritis by leading efforts to prevent, control and cure arthritis related diseases-the nation's number one cause of disability. The Foundation has 150 chapters and service points nationwide to provide information, community service and research for a cure for arthritis. The Arthritis Foundation is a volunteer-driven organization with program, research, budget and policy decisions made by volunteer committees.

Arthritis Foundation efforts center on the three- fold mission of the organization: prevention, control and cure. The Arthritis Foundation currently provides more than $22 million in grants to more than 300 scientists and health professionals to help find a cure, prevention or better treatment for arthritis. The Arthritis Foundation's sponsorship of research for more than 50 years has resulted in major treatment advances for most arthritis diseases.

The Arthritis Foundation also provides a large number of community-based services nationwide to make life with arthritis easier, including:

• Self-help courses
• Water and land-based exercise classes
• Support groups
• Home study groups
• Instructional videotapes
• Public forums
• A wide variety of free educational brochures and booklets
• The national, bimonthly consumer magazine Arthritis Today
• Continuing education courses and publications for health professionals

Arthritis Foundation volunteers serve as advocates to local and national governments on behalf of the nearly 43 million Americans with arthritis.

Throughout its 59-year history, the Arthritis Foundation has experienced steady growth and has made great strides in the treatment of the many forms of arthritis. The Foundation has been a tremendous sponsor of research and, since 1948, has spent more than $245 million to support more than 1,900 scientists and physicians in arthritis research.

You can learn more about this helpful organization by visiting their Web site, www.arthritis.org