Lisa Copen, founder of Rest Ministries, an organization that serves people who live with chronic illness or pain, recently participated in a photography portion of the Understanding Invisible Illnesses event, increasing awareness about invisible illness, also called hidden illness.

San Diego, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 04/05/2011 -- Lisa Copen, founder of Rest Ministries, an organization that serves people who live with chronic illness or pain, recently participated in a photography portion of the Understanding Invisible Illnesses event, increasing awareness about invisible illness, also called hidden illness.

"I began National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week in 2002, because I saw so many people who actually suffered more from feeling their pain was not validated than sometimes from the physical pain itself. I was honored to participate in and support this event."

Jennifer Pettit organized the event. As founder of "Understanding Invisible Illnesses" she was contacted by her alma mater, Villanova University, who was eager to create an event that focused on a patient's experience of how one's body image can be impacted by a chronic illness, even when the illness is invisible to most people. The event was also incorporated with a project senior nursing students were doing about chronic illness and body image.

The actual portions of the event, held February 14-22, 2011, included:

- a panel presentation with question and answers, including a variety of illnesses such as Asperger's syndrome, Sjogren's Syndrome, Localized Scleroderma, Dysautonomia, Fibromyalgia, Osteoarthritis, Raynaud's Phenomena, Fibromatosis (a chronic cancer), and Cerebral Palsy, representing both men and women

- a display of photographs of people living with chronic illness, before and after, called "Invisible Illnesses Made Visible"

- a handout of web resources for students who live with chronic illness

Copen participated by sending in some photographs of her left hand in an Outrigger splint following the replacement of four finger joints in 2009. Pettit says, "Having Lisa as an ally is a powerful tool! When she put out the message encouraging others to participate, hits on my blog skyrocketed and emails began rolling in. While any display would have been a step forward, we wouldn't have had anything near the impact we did without Lisa's stamp of approval."

Pettit is currently pursuing the opportunity to take the event to more colleges, as well as have a permanent photography display. For more information about Pettit's project and future events visit her web site at http://www.myuiiblog.blogspot.com .

National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week, sponsored by Rest Ministries, will be held September 12-18, 2011. Sign up for updates for this event and online conference at http://invisibleillnessweek.com.

"It's exciting to see the awareness of invisible illness increase each year," says Copen. "When I started becoming an advocate for this purpose there were few people involved and even today, events 'offline' are rare. Various studies have reported that physical illness or uncontrollable physical pain are major factors in up to 70% of suicides (1) and more than 50% of these suicidal patients were under 35 years of age (2). By partnering with people like Jennifer Pettit we are able to increase the awareness, and ultimately bring more hope to those battling invisible disabilities each day."

Find out more about Rest Ministries and how to connect with others for support at http://RestMinistries.com

Sources:
(1) Mackenzie TB, Popkin MK: "Suicide in the medical patient.". Intl J Psych in Med 17:3-22, 1987
(2) Michalon M: La psychiatrie de consultation-liaison: une etude prospective en milieu hospitalier general. Can J Psychiatry (In French) 38:168-174,1993

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Rest Ministries, a Christian non-profit organization for people who live with chronic illness or pain, was recently featured as "one of the organizations doing it right" by Jenni Prokopy who spoke a the SXSWinteractive technology conference.

San Diego, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 03/31/2011 -- Rest Ministries, a Christian non-profit organization for people who live with chronic illness or pain, has had a website since 1996 and was recently included as an example of some healthcare social networks doing their work well . Founded by Lisa Copen, 42, who has lived with rheumatoid arthritis for eighteen years, their health social network is called "The Sunroom" and it was recently featured as "one of the organizations doing it right" by Jenni Prokopy who spoke a the SXSWinteractive technology conference. Her presentation was called, "Health Communities: Superheroes Who Need a Justice League."

Prokopy says, "Lisa's work, like that of so many others, has a profound impact on thousands of people."

Copen began Rest Ministries when she found a lack of resources or support networks for those who were chronically ill yet still believed in the healing power of God. "We believe God still heals," Copen explains. "But healings seem to be on God's schedule, not our fast-paced timeline. Rest Ministries provides support and friendships while one is living with illness or chronic pains. I was honored that Jenni wanted to include a faith-based health organization in her presentation."

You can listen to Prokopy's presentation online here: http://schedule.sxsw.com/events/event_IAP7498 .

Questions Prokopy asked include what do we do when health social networking sites have a member who may be suicidal? Are we equipped to help and can we legally do so? What do we do when people sign up for a group and then leave because they are not getting the support they needed--which was more than the social network was created to meet? What social network tools can we benefit from?

Prokopy purposes a resource that helps founders of the largest to the smallest health and illness-related social networks make these tough choices, support one another, and create guidelines to be followed. "After my presentation I learned the room was-capacity and they had to turn people away!" says, Prokopy. "While I hate to hear that some folks missed it, I'm glad to know the demand for health technology conversations is so high at SXSWinteractive."

"Social networking and health forums can be a vital connection for the nearly 1 in 2 people who live with chronic illness," says Copen. Various studies have reported that physical illness or uncontrollable physical pain are major factors in up to 70% of suicides (1) and more than 50% of these suicidal patients were under 35 years of age (2).

"The internet is a source of not only information, but inspiration," says Copen. "Rest Ministries Sunroom has over 2500 members and each day someone writes how our health and Christian social networking site has 'saved his or her life.' We cannot underestimate the value of encouragement, support, and faith-based understanding when it comes to chronic pains."

Both Lisa Copen and Jenni Prokopy are speakers as well as the women behind the computer screens of their social networks. You can find out more about their speaking, writing, and consulting services as http://LisaCopen.com and http://www.JenniProkopy.com .

To connect with others who live with chronic illness at Rest Ministries visit the Sunroom at http://RestMinistriesSunroom.com .

Sources:
(1) Mackenzie TB, Popkin MK: "Suicide in the medical patient.". Intl J Psych in Med 17:3-22, 1987
(2) Michalon M: La psychiatrie de consultation-liaison: une etude prospective en milieu hospitalier general. Can J Psychiatry (In French) 38:168-174,1993

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

You can now find the popular and refreshing daily devotionals for the chronically ill, with encouragement bible verses, on the Kindle electronic book readers.

San Diego, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 03/09/2011 -- If you are one of the nearly half of the population who lives with chronic illness, there may be days when you wonder how to keep a positive perspective. Daily devotions for men and women who live with any chronic illness or pain are now available on the Kindle electronic book reader.

The chronic illness inspirational devotions at Rest Ministries, the largest Christian organization that serves the chronically ill, has been emailing out online daily devotional since 1999. In 2010 they moved to a blog format with the option to receive them each day via email as well.

Now, those who have Kindle electronic book readers can receive the devotions each morning via wireless technology. Lisa Copen, founder of Rest Ministries and author of some of the devotions says, "We are excited to have this daily available for people who prefer to read them away from the computer. If you have an illness, odds are you may spend a lot of time in waiting rooms or even in hospitals for extended periods of time. Now, you can read them at your convenience or read past devotions to find one that fits your immediate needs."

Sallie shares, "I live with fibromyalgia and I seem to get the right words to pick me up from this daily devotional. It always is a fresh word bringing me life in days that sometimes seem so hard." Melissa says, "The devotions at Rest Ministries are based on scripture and intended to make chronically ill persons believe in themselves again. They tell a story of how human frailty can be used by God to become spiritual strength."

There is a 14-day free trial and if you decide to continue the daily encouragement the price is $1.99 a month. You can cancel at any time. You will receive the full text of the short devotionals, about 450 words, as well as the images. The devotions are similar to the popular Daily Bread Devotional, which includes a bible verse of the day, the devotional, followed by a prayer and a few sentences about the author.

Rest Ministries has about twenty volunteer writers who live with daily chronic pains or illnesses who share their experiences, lessons, and challenges. Rest Ministries will always have the free devotional online at http://chronicillnessdevotionals.com . If you enjoy the daily devotionals for women and men, you enjoy Rest Ministries daily devotions you may also like Copen's book "Mosaic Moments: Devotionals For The Chronically Ill" available at http://mosaicmomentsbook.com .

To sign up for your free 14-day trial of the inspirational devotionals in the Kindle format visit http://ow.ly/4adbK or http://chronicillnessdevotionals.com .

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Living with a chronic illness or chronic pain doesn't mean you can't laugh! Join speaker/author Lisa Copen for some giggles as she shares about the humor in weight gain due to medication and the limited mobility from her rheumatoid arthritis.

San Diego, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 05/04/2010 -- Living with a chronic illness can fill one's day with chronic pain, and a long list of side effects. One only needs to listen to the television commercials from pharmaceutical companies to realize that sometimes the side effects of medications can be as uncomfortable as the illness itself.

Lisa Copen is the founder of Rest Ministries, which is the largest Christian organization that serves the chronically ill, and the person behind National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week. She recently released a six minute video clip of the humorous parts of being on the steroid prednisone available at http://www.youtube.com/restmin .

While a great deal of the population has taken the steroid for short-term use to treat an acute condition, Lisa has been on 20 mg a day for nearly 2 years, due to a variety of circumstances with her illness, rheumatoid arthritis.

The result? Over 80 pounds of weight gain, a puffy face, and some humorous other parts of body fat that are actually named by the medical world, such as a "Buffalo Hump."

Laughter has been proven to actually relieve pain and recently Dr. Lee S. Berk, a preventive care specialist and psychoneuroimmunology researcher at Loma Linda University's Schools of Allied Health (SAHP) and Medicine, and director of the molecular research lab at SAHP, Loma Linda, CA, and Dr. Stanley Tan, confirmed this and also found in their studies that repetitive "mirthful laughter," which they call Laughercise©, can cause the body to respond in a way similar to moderate physical exercise.

So let's laugh! Cheryl, who recently watched the video said "I dream of the day when I can get off Prednisone. I think to myself, 'Would I rather be alive and fat, or dead and skinny?' I choose the fat life, but not because I want to--it is the lesser of two evils. And when people stare at me and make comments about how I should lose weight, and how much better I would feel, they have no idea that I am on steroids to feel better as it is! Not to make it unpleasant for them to look at me this way! I have to come to realize that unless someone has gone through a debilitating disease, they will never fully understand. Thanks Lisa, for trying to educate the people who don't have a clue and for supporting us who know exactly how tough this really is."

Nearly 1 in 2 people in the United States live with a chronic condition, and approximately 96% of illnesses are invisible. So take a moment to watch the video that describes the realistic part of living with a chronic condition. If it is not you who lives with one, it is someone you love.

You can read more about Lisa Copen at http://www.lisacopen.com . Her Newest Book "How to Start a Chronic Illness Small Group Ministry" was published in April 2010.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Rest Ministries Director Discusses Faith and Illness

San Diego, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 04/19/2010 -- Lisa Copen,the founder of Rest Ministries, will appearing this week on the television show Peace in the Storm. The one-hour talk show style program, Peace in the Storm is hosted by Maureen Pratt .She shares, "Peace in the Storm" is a natural extension of the book "Peace in the Storm: Meditations on Chronic Pain & Illness," and focuses on ways that people with chronic pain & illness can find inspiration, strength, courage and joy with and in spite of their health challenges. With a strong emphasis on Christian faith and Scripture, "Peace in the Storm" blends inspiring guests, music, humor and fellowship in each episode."

Copen talks about how she went from being a 24-year-old woman who just wanted a family and a career, to becoming nearly disabled in a period of a few weeks. And then from feeling alone in her pain to starting Rest Ministries which has served millions of people since going online in 1993.

Although Lisa is now on a variety of medications that help manage her pain, she is suffering the damage of 17 years of rheumatoid arthritis. In fall of 2009 she had four joints replaced on her left hand and the year before spend a week in the hospital with the flesh eating bacteria infection.

Lisa shares about her ministry, her journey, parenting, caregiving and more. Maureen also shares about her own experiences with a chronic illness and music.

The program can be watched online LIVE at the Pacific Time Zone airing times if the channel is not available in your area. In North America, LLBN can currently be seen via Glorystar Christian Satellite Channel 105, cable/low and high power TV stations in select areas (Channel 17 on Loma Linda Time-Warner Cable), MOIPTV, and at http://www.llbn.tv.

PEACE IN THE STORM BROADCAST SCHEDULE
DAY PST MST CST EST
Tuesday 8:00 PM 9:00 PM 10:00 PM 11:00 PM
Wednesday 3:00 PM 4:00 PM 5:00 PM 6:00 PM
Thursday 11:00 AM 12:00 PM 1:00 PM 2:00 PM
Friday 1:00 AM 2:00 AM 3:00 AM 4:00 AM

Read more about the taping at http://restministries.com.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

San Diego, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 05/13/2009 -- Lisa Copen, founder of Rest Ministries, Inc., the largest Christian organization specifically for those with chronic illness or pain, won the Our Bodies Ourselves Award for Women's Health Hero: Audience Choice.

On May 11, 2009 Our Bodies Ourselves announced the 2009 Womens' Health Heroes, honoring the work of women's health advocates worldwide, marking OBOS's first annual effort to spotlight the diversity of care, education and activism in communities around the world.

See OBOS's announcement, as well as the nomination and kind comments for Lisa here:
http://www.ourbodiesourblog.org/womens-health-heroes-2009

"Every day millions of people worldwide do incredible work to improve the health and well-being of women, and we want to bring attention to their efforts," said Our Bodies Ourselves Executive Director Judy Norsigian. "Many of our heroes accomplish so much with very few resources, particularly on the frontlines of public health, where gaps in the quality of care and healthcare access remain persistent."

The inaugural group, chosen from close to 100 nominations, represents seven countries: United States (13), Canada (2), Australia, The Netherlands, Nigeria, United Kingdom, Ukraine.

Copen, 40, who began Rest Ministries in 1997 after living four years with rheumatoid arthritis and not finding illness support that was faith-based says, "It's a great honor to win this award, but more exciting is the opportunity to have the opportunity for Rest Ministries to gain the exposure. We sponsor National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week each September and have a five-day virtual conference online. I hope that this award will be a reminder of the resources that are out there to encourage people while living with illness."

To find out more about Rest Ministries visit our web site at http://www.restministries.org and information for National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week is now being updated for 2009 at http://www.invisibleillnessweek.com

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Bloggers with Illness Have New Forum to Share Struggles and Strengths

San Diego, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 03/16/2009 -- Surprise! That is the theme for the first Christians with Chronic Illness Blog Carnival starting in April 2009. The carnival, hosted by Rest Ministries, the largest Christian organization in the USA, hopes to reach the thousands of people who live with chronic illness or pain, and who also rely on their faith to get them through the difficult moments.

Rest Ministries, Inc. began in 1997 when founder Lisa Copen, then 29, was unable to find Christian support for her illness, rheumatoid arthritis. Her ministry now reaches over 80,000 visitors per month through daily devotionals, a social network, HopeKeepers Magazine, and HopeKeepers groups in churches around the USA and beyond.

Copen explains, "There are some amazingly gifted writers on the internet who share about the ups and downs of living with chronic or invisible illness and also their faith. As the number of bloggers increases exponentially each month, we want to provide a place where those who are blogging about their faith and their illness can share their message with more people."

Submit your blog posting at www.christianswithillnessblogcarnivalsubmit.com by April 5, 2009. The carnival will be posted the 15th of each month. Upcoming theme include coping with loss and creative ideas for keeping kids busy during summer months when you have limited energy.

This is a great opportunity for Christian authors who have an illness and blog to share their posts too. Rest Ministries encourages anyone to submit. Preference will be given to those who submit blog posts on the theme, and to those with an illness or who is a caregiver.

"Oftentimes we are most encouraged by others who have walked a similar path," says Copen. "We want to discover how they are still able to celebrate their lives and find a purpose in their pain."

Surprise! That is the theme for the first Christians with Chronic Illness Blog Carnival starting in April 2009. The carnival, hosted by Rest Ministries, the largest Christian organization in the USA, hopes to reach the thousands of people who live with chronic illness or pain, and who also rely on their faith to get them through the difficult moments.

Rest Ministries, Inc. began in 1997 when founder Lisa Copen, then 29, was unable to find Christian support for her illness, rheumatoid arthritis. Her ministry now reaches over 80,000 visitors per month through daily devotionals, a social network, HopeKeepers Magazine, and HopeKeepers groups in churches around the USA and beyond.

Copen explains, "There are some amazingly gifted writers on the internet who share about the ups and downs of living with chronic or invisible illness and also their faith. As the number of bloggers increases exponentially each month, we want to provide a place where those who are blogging about their faith and their illness can share their message with more people."

Submit your blog posting at http://www.christianswithillnessblogcarnivalsubmit.com by April 5, 2009. The carnival will be posted the 15th of each month. Upcoming theme include coping with loss and creative ideas for keeping kids busy during summer months when you have limited energy.

This is a great opportunity for Christian authors who have an illness and blog to share their posts too. Rest Ministries encourages anyone to submit. Preference will be given to those who submit blog posts on the theme, and to those with an illness or who is a caregiver.

"Oftentimes we are most encouraged by others who have walked a similar path," says Copen. "We want to discover how they are still able to celebrate their lives and find a purpose in their pain."

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Nearly 1 in 2 people live with a chronic condition, oftentimes invisible. Hope Endures radio program, hosted by Lisa Copen, founder of Rest Ministries, Inc. broadcasts 2 1-hour shows a week to bring hope and encouragement, as well as practical advice, while living with illness.

San Diego, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 02/09/2009 -- Rest Ministries, Inc., the largest Christian organization that specifically serves the needs of those who live with chronic illness or pain, is launching an online radio program, Tuesday, February 10, 2009 at 10 a.m. pacific time.

The program, titled "Hope Endures" will be hosted by Rest Ministries founder, Lisa Copen, who is eager to connect with the thousands of people who visit her web site daily or who may know the ministry through one of the 400 HopeKeepers groups that they attend in their church.

The two 1-hour weekly programs will air on Blog Talk Radio, every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 10 a.m. pacific.

Tuesdays will feature special guests who will be interviewed about a topic related to chronic illness, from a Christian perspective. Guests will share about their own ministries and how they began them, despite dealing with daily chronic pain. Topics will include everything from marriage and caregiving, financial planning to parenting, health and medical news, awareness about invisible illness in congregations, to living with illness as a child, teenager, young adult, and more.

Thursdays will consist of hearing from callers who lead HopeKeepers groups, volunteers of Rest Ministries, announcements about things happening at Rest Ministries social network (with over 1000 members) and thoughts from Lisa Copen.

Copen shares, "The internet has become an amazing tool for connecting with others who have the same challenges and passions. We hope through our radio program, we can increase these friendship and bonds so that our sense of family strengthens and that people find our program to be that "one stop" place for Christian support while coping with chronic illness."

Copen herself has been a guest on radio programs such as Joni and Friends and Billy Graham's Decision Minute.

February 10th will be the kick off program featuring special guest Naomi Kingery, 19, author of Sugar Free Me: An Inspirational Book for Diabetic Teens and Their Loved Ones. She will be talking about her journey from growing up in Bangalore, India as the child of missionary parents who worked with people with disabilities, to her diagnosis of diabetes at the age of twelve.

Listeners can participate in the live program at www.blogtalkradio.com/hopeendures or listen to the program any time, as it will be archived. The MP3 file can also be downloaded to one's itunes. Fore more information see http://www.hopeenduresradio.com

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm