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Message from the Honourary Chair

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Building Better Bones Together
Larry

I was shocked when my doctor told me I had osteoporosis. Like many others, I didn't think that the disease affected men.

Even though I broke many bones in my mid to late 40s, all from accidents no more severe than a fall from a standing position, it wasn't until my tenth fracture that the diagnosis of osteoporosis was confirmed. My history with bone breaks suddenly made sense.

As a man, I felt isolated by osteoporosis. The internet told me that a significant number of those afflicted with osteoporosis were men. Really? Where were they hiding? Didn't they want to talk to other men and share their experiences? Perhaps they too were embarrassed to learn they had the disease—indeed, my own embarrassment kept me from telling anyone other than my family that I had osteoporosis.

That all began to change with the arrival of a simple email chock-full of information about osteoporosis—the COPING newsletter from Osteoporosis Canada's Canadian Osteoporosis Patient Network (COPN). The discover of COPN lifted a considerable weight from my shoulders. Here were people who truly understood what I was going through. For the first time I was comfortable to openly share my story. As my enthusiasm grew for the things COPN was doing to help individuals like me, so too did my involvement in the organization.

I am proud to now be the Chair of COPN. It is an honour to be part of a group of individuals who are so committed to helping those affected by osteoporosis live well and live safely.