"I finally realized that I’m going to have to steer this ship myself" (1:19)
Andrea, who lives with fibromyalgia, built her own team of practitioners who work with her to control her pain.
Andrea Cooper, 52, has lived with fibromyalgia and chronic neck pain for more than 20 years. When her pain forced her to retire from her job as a graphic designer, she began volunteering for the American Pain Foundation. Having also survived breast cancer, Andrea brings a wealth of experience to her work as a patient advocate, helping people with chronic pain navigate the healthcare system, take care of themselves, and reclaim their lives. In this video, Andrea talks about how, after 20 years of no communication between her doctors, she now “employs” a “health team” of practitioners who work with each other and with her to control her pain.
