A pan-Canadian collaboration, the Power Over Pain Portal provides free resources to help manage chronic pain
TORONTO – August 22, 2023 – Women’s College Hospital (WCH) has partnered with other hospitals, academic institutions, community organizations, and people who live with chronic pain to create the Power Over Pain Portal, a first-in-Canada virtual chronic pain management portal. Funded by Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program, Power Over Pain offers free evidenced-based virtual resources to help youth and adults manage their chronic pain. The Portal has many resources from self-directed courses to one-on-one counseling with the goal of providing flexible and rapid access to pain management tools.
“Power Over Pain is a long-awaited and very important online resource for people living with pain and their families”, said Lynn Cooper, Research and Education Director at the Canadian Injured Workers Alliance and person living with pain. “The Portal provides us with information and resources about pain and pain management that can help us to understand our pain, learn ways to help ourselves, and access supports so that we can live our best life with pain.”
“We want people to have access to pain care resources and supports right away, not in months from now. It can also be challenging to know what resources are trustworthy, especially online. The portal addresses those concerns by providing evidence-based information and resources to support pain management,” said Dr. Rachael Bosma, Research Lead at Women’s College Hospital and co-lead of the adult portal. “People can also work with their healthcare providers to use the portal as a tool and guide, as a part of their treatment plan.”
“Power Over Pain is designed with and for those with pain to ensure care is equitable and accessible,” said Vina Mohabir, Patient Advisor, Clinical Research Project Coordinator and co-lead of the youth advisory committee at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). “These resources are personalized and backed by science. Like a buffet, you can pick and choose which method or approach is best for you right now.”
The Portal is also being integrated with Wellness Together Canada, the federal platform to support mental health and substance use concerns. The goal is to create a one-stop shop for mental health, substance use and chronic pain resources.
The Power Over Pain Portal was developed in collaboration with clinicians and researchers from The Ottawa Hospital, SickKids, Women’s College Hospital, University of Calgary, Memorial University of Newfoundland, people living with pain, and community organizations.
The Power Over Pain Portal is now live and will continue to develop and evolve based on user feedback and new research.
Funded by Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program. The views expressed may not represent those of Health Canada.
Financé par le Programme de Santé Canada sur l’usage et les dépendances aux substances. Les opinions exprimées ici ne reflètent pas nécessairement celles de Santé Canada.
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For more information contact:
Jordan Benadiba
Manager, Public Affairs, WCH
Jordan.benadiba@wchospital.ca
647 248 3680