Honouring the Sacrifice and Resilience of Canada’s Veterans on Remembrance Day

After three decades of service in policing which finished with the RCMP , I found myself facing a new battle—chronic pain that grew over time. Managing this journey hasn’t been easy, but support from the DeGroote Pain Clinic and Veterans Affairs has made a difference, giving me tools and hope. To my fellow veterans: don’t wait to seek help. Chronic pain impacts everything in your life, and early intervention is crucial. Together, through research and shared stories, we can build a future with better options and understanding for veterans facing chronic pain.

Congratulations to our Board Member, The Honourable Myra Freeman who has been named the incoming Chair of the Progress Monitoring Committee.

Veterans Derek Speirs and Marieanne Nyhuis join Annette Hamm on Hamilton’s Morning Live to discuss their experience with chronic pain and the launch of the Chronic Pain Centre of Excellence for Canadian Veterans.

Veteran Derek Speirs speaks with radio host Dave Trafford about his experience with chronic pain, and what the Centre of Excellence means to him.

Over 40% of Canadian veterans experience chronic pain, but they often do not receive the proper care they deserve because the current healthcare system is not built to properly address the unique needs that veterans with chronic pain face, like mental illness and PTSD. Veterans also face many barriers to access care. Derek Speirs gives his perspective as a former Submariner in the Canadian Navy.

Next month, the Chronic Pain Centre of Excellence for Canadian Veterans launches at Hamilton’s McMaster University. Marie-Anne Nyhuis and Derek Speirs are two veterans who have benefited from research and treatment and they joined us this morning to tell us about what happened to them.

Veterans of the Canadian Military have a need for health care services that address issues of Chronic Pain and Mental Health throughout the whole of Canada. Regrettably, access to these services can be limited and health care options vary from province to province.

The media can shape the opinions, beliefs, and attitudes of the public toward Veterans and Veteran issues and can also be a vital source of information for Veterans and their families.

Dr. Jason Busse, Research Director at the Chronic Pain Centre of Excellence (CPCoE), recently published a rapid recommendation on the use of cannabis for treatment of chronic pain in The British Medical Journal (The bmj).

This paper reviews information regarding the evolution of definitions of pain terminology and pain syndromes as they relate to everyday practice for clinicians and those operating within the medicolegal judicial system, both trainees and seasoned professionals, with a focus on chronic pain.

Patients and clinicians can choose from several treatment options to address acute pain from non–low back musculoskeletal injuries.