Dr. Janet McGowan is a member of the British Pain Society and Faculty of Pain Medicine of the Royal College of Anaesthetists, UK. An anaesthetist by primary training, Janet’s special interest is in Chronic Pain Management, working with patients suffering a variety of persistently painful conditions including musculoskeletal, neuropathic and mixed pain. Janet believes in a bio-psychosocial and multidisciplinary approach that includes psychology, occupational therapy and physiotherapy, as well as medical input and support, and group work to provide ongoing help and teach sufferers to self-manage what can be an incurable and long term condition. Janet has been involved in education both for health workers and patients on the skills needed to cope with such a complex problem.
British researchers Dr. Vinette Cross and colleagues bring a poetic voice to the experiences of patients with chronic low back pain and their family members, creating a performance that bears witness to the frustration, sadness and resolve of these individuals.