For Immediate Release
March 16, 2002

Contact:
Amy Weinschenk
(207) 774-5801
Beryl Wolfe
(207) 775-5115
E-mail: beryl@wolfenews.com
Web Site: http://www.martinspoint.org

Martin's Point Health Care will host an Arthritis Fair from 2 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, May 7, at the Martin's Point Health Education Center at 331 Veranda St. in Portland.

Titled "Arthritis and You," the free event is aimed at providing information for people with arthritis or their caretakers. Arthritis, which afflicts more than 43 million Americans, causes pain, stiffness and sometimes swelling in or around the joints, sometimes making it difficult for sufferers to accomplish everyday chores.

"Chances are that many people in Maine either have arthritis or know someone who does," said Leigh Kirchner, a Certified Health Education Specialist at Martin's Point, the state's largest not-for-profit health care provider. "This is an opportunity to learn more about the disease, including tips to help manage it."

A Martin's Point physician, together with physical and occupational therapists from the New England Rehabilitation Hospital of Portland - co-sponsor of the event - will present up-to-date information on how best to manage the disease. Dr. Heidi Brooks, an internist at Martin's Point, will be speaking at 2 p.m.

Therapists will also demonstrate exercises to increase flexibility, which have been shown to help reduce pain for people with arthritis. In addition, assistive devices for everyday chores will be displayed. The fair is free and open to the public. Space is limited. To register or for more information, call (207) 828-2497.

[NOTE: Media interested in covering the fair must call first so organizers can obtain patient release forms and have a health professional available to talk with the media. Call either Amy Weinschenk of Martin's Point at 774-5801 or Dana Slone of Wolfe PR at 775-5115. Thanks.]

The Martin's Point Health Education Center offers a variety of resource materials, such as publications and videos, and classes that focus on a host of topics, ranging from weight management and smoking cessation to disease management.

Established in 1981, Martin's Point is a not-for-profit health care provider with facilities in Portland, Brunswick and Windham, Maine, and in Portsmouth, N.H. Martin's Point has a staff of more than 300 health care professionals and serves 54,000 patients - including military retirees and dependents of active military personnel - under all major health plans.

Martin's Point serves patients in the areas of family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, surgery, radiology, cardiology, and mammography, as well as other fields. In addition, Martin's Point continues to attract attention for its innovative approach to health care. Patient's Personal Points, an interactive, Internet-based system that allows Martin's Point patients to communicate online with their doctors, has won numerous national and regional awards, including from the Healthcare Innovations in Technology Systems (HITS) Partnership in Technology national awards program. For additional information on Martin's Point Health Care, visit online at www.martinspoint.org.

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