Arthritis Foundation of India Trust named winner of 2009 IOF Linda Edwards Memorial Award

The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) has awarded its prestigious 'IOF Linda Edwards Memorial Award' to the Arthritis Foundation of India Trust (AFI), one of 193 IOF member societies around the world. The award was presented today at the IOF Worldwide Osteoporosis Patient Society Conference, being held from September 22-25, 2009 in Beijing, China.

The award is named after the late Linda Edwards, a pioneer of osteoporosis advocacy who spearheaded the osteoporosis patient movement, both in the UK where she was director of the National Osteoporosis Society, and through her active role with the IOF. The unrestricted award (valued at 20,000 SFr) is presented to an IOF member society every two years. The award supports and recognizes the efforts of a relatively 'young' and growing society which has been carrying out exceptional and creative campaigns to increase awareness, prevention and knowledge of osteoporosis among the public and health professionals, while working to improve the care of patients at the national level.

Since its foundation in 2002 the AFI has grown into a strong organization which carries out numerous effective information campaigns and far reaching advocacy initiatives under the slogan "Bone Health - a Right, Realize it". AFI Chairman Dr Sushil Sharma said, "In its endeavour to take information about osteoporosis and bone health to the common people, AFI is creating various communication programmes and we are hopeful that people will take full advantage of these programmes and ultimately attain our goal of total bone health." The work of the Foundation is outlined on its website http://www.arthfound.org.

Previous winners of the IOF Linda Edwards Memorial Award include patient societies from Greece (2007); Slovenia (2005); and Romania (2003).

Source: International Osteoporosis Foundation