Social Platform Helps Aussie Veterans in Chronic Pain
Image of Nerita Lewis courtesy of the Churchill Fellowship Trust
Nerita Lewis is a NSW Air Force veteran on a mission. Thanks to being awarded a Churchill Fellowship, Nerita is developing a new social platform designed to help former Australian service men and women find the help they need to deal with the isolation caused by living with chronic pain.
The Churchill Fellowship will enable Nerita to travel to Finland, the Netherlands, the UK and the US to learn more about how these countries take care of veterans living with chronic pain. She will focus on the latest science, technology and community-based models.
It turns out that more than 250,000 Aussie veterans live with chronic pain, with 40 per cent of all retired service people living with the condition.
It’s something that Nerita knows well after she was injured during a medical procedure as she prepared for a stint in the Middle East.
“I have come out the other side now,” she said, “and I’m determined to help veterans living with chronic pain. At the moment they experience challenges around where to seek appropriate treatment and support, often turning to google to find answers. Additionally, the Department of Veterans Affairs has a significant backlog, so it can take years to have injury claims approved and treatment supported.”
Nerita’s social platform is called ‘Jaspen—your ally in chronic pain’.
Nerita explained that she originally wanted the name ‘Jasper’, which is a stone that is known for being a supporter during times of ill health.
“I couldn't get Jasper trademarked, so I chose Jaspen,” she said.
“Ultimately, I would like to partner with the Department of Veteran Affairs to provide the platform to all veterans leaving the services so that they can access support whenever they need. It is all about dropping the shame for veterans, connecting with others, accessing evidence-based information and knowing that small steps lead to big changes to their quality of life.”
You can learn more about Jaspen here: https://www.jaspenhealth.com/
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