The ACR Gears Up for Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month in September

Mr. Bradshaw, who has rheumatoid arthritis (RA), will serve as the ACR’s official spokesperson for the campaign.

“Terry is not only a household name; he is a genuinely good person,” says Joan Roth, senior director of communications and marketing at the ACR. “As a beloved sports star who has benefited from treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, Terry was a natural choice to help us reach millions of Americans with our message about the importance of early intervention from a rheumatologist. And with RDAM celebrations happening at the same time that professional football season kicks into gear, the timing couldn’t be more perfect.”

Ms. Roth and the ACR communications team traveled to Mr. Bradshaw’s ranch in Thackerville, Okla., this past March to film a public service announcement (PSA) about rheumatic disease. The PSA will air throughout the month of September on TV stations nationwide.

According to Ms. Roth, Mr. Bradshaw will address important gaps in knowledge regarding rheumatic diseases. Although many are familiar with the relationship between injury and osteoarthritis (OA), for example, he explains that RA is a disease that can affect anyone. As Mr. Bradshaw exclaims in the PSA, “You don’t have to be an old athlete like me to have sore joints!”

Mr. Bradshaw will also feature prominently in another aspect of RDAM. The ACR will encourage users to take a rheumatic disease awareness quiz through social media for a chance to win a Pittsburgh Steelers #12 football jersey signed by Mr. Bradshaw. The social media promotion will launch with a special video message from Mr. Bradshaw on Sept. 1.

Get Involved!

Terry Bradshaw prepares to shoot a public service announcement for Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month at his ranch in Thackerville, Okla.

Just like this past year, the ACR hopes the awareness campaign reaches a diverse audience. To make that happen, the ACR is providing members and partners with the resources necessary to get involved, such as an easy-to-use online communications toolkit that ACR members and partner organizations can use to participate in RDAM activities.

“ACR members hold a lot of sway both at the local and national levels,” says Ms. Roth. “Participants made a measurable impact last year, so we’re hoping for even more involvement this time around. We will be collecting survey feedback and enhancing the toolkit with new materials this year to make to make the process even easier for our members and partners.”