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Painiac the Podcast SEASON TWO

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Season two is live! I'm so proud of the work you've done to help get Painiac back into the world. 

I'd like to keep going and work on a third season because there are still so many stories, issues, and topics to share and explore. 

For that reason, I'm updating this fundraising goal to meet the needs of a third season. 

Thank you in advance for your support to help me cover paying my editor, paying to host the publication service, and for my software and recording equipment. 

You all are the best. 

Love, 

Shelly

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This is a fundraiser to help subsidize a second and third of Painac the Podcast .


Painiac, the first podcast about chronic pain, is a free resource for people living with chronic pain or illness. I started Painiac to help people live well even when life hurts.

Help us bring a second season of Painac the Podcast to people who need it most.

My name is Shelly, and I'm the host and producer of Painac.  After nearly a year after our inaugural season, Painiac listeners are eager to have a follow-up, but a second season costs money and time. For the past year, I've received thoughtful messages from listeners asking me to continue the show, but my time and resources are limited. 

Our first season included 22 episodes about living with pain. We explored topics such as managing expectations, asking for help, talking with your doctor, confidence, and self-care. We featured conversations with inspiring people across the globe who live with pain and thrive in spite of it. In each episode, I share simple and practical tools to help people reframe their relationship with chronic pain or illness.

Our first season was downloaded 50,000 times in iTunes alone. 

It is estimated that, globally, 1.5 billion individuals suffer from chronic pain. In the United States alone that number is 100 million. That’s more people than individuals suffering from diabetes, heart disease, and cancer combined.

Chronic pain is often an invisible condition; the typical individual does not outwardly show signs of suffering from emotional and physical pain. Due to this invisibility, painiacs often struggle silently and may even be negatively judged because they might not “look” like they are not well.

Chronic pain isn’t choosy; it affects individuals no matter your race, gender, age, or location. However, many painiacs are young women. This poses a unique challenge because physicians, health care workers, and counselors may not fully realize the magnitude and severity of the suffering and they may try to downplay, discount, or deny the validity of the pain. Young, otherwise healthy and fit individuals are often told “it’s in your head”, “ you’re too young for this”, “you’ll learn to live with it”, or “give it some time and it will pass”.

Painiacs are very often stigmatized, isolated from friends or family, unsupported in the workplace, and struggle with depression, loneliness, and frustration. The suffering is destructive and impacts the individuals social, economic, mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being.

Painiac is a bright resource for when everything else and everyone else seems dark. 

I started PAINIAC the Podcast because I am committed to changing the landscape of chronic pain. In my own experience I noticed how, as a chronic pain sufferer, options for help and support are limited. I recall being ignored by doctors or handed aggressive and addictive painkillers that just made me feel sick, disconnected, and just not "me". I joined support groups but observed that instead of lifting me up it just made me feel worse. I got tired of talking about feeling better; I just wanted to be better, already! I felt as if I was treading water just to catch my breath, but not getting anywhere. I knew that, deep down, I was strong, positive, and loved life, and that even though I lived with chronic pain it wasn't the only part of my story. I just needed to remind myself of that.

Here's what people are saying about PAINIAC:

"This podcast is super helpful for anyone living with chronic pain. It provides advice, encouragement and concrete tools to make a real difference in managing pain and maintaining a positive outlook despite the challenges."

"Shelly is infectiously positive and provides smart, actionable advice for people living with chronic pain."

"I've actually listened to all of her {episodes} twice at this point and plan to go back to listen to them when I need inspiration. I really appreciate that Shelly is giving a voice to those of us who are largely ignored by doctors."

"Painiac is beautiful and empathetic. The host is so wonderful and shares from a place of great passion and vulnerability. This is the best pain media you’re likely to find in the podcast world. I cried during the first episode because I felt like she heard me and got it."

“If you’re experiencing any kind of chronic pain or illness, this podcast is a breath of fresh air. Shelly is the perfect guide to help navigate these issues. The podcast always leaves me feeling full of hope and excited about new actions I can take to improve my daily quality of life. Thank you for making this!"

Why support PAINIAC?

Each month, we get a few thousand downloads of the podcast. That's awesome! We love that people are listening to, sharing, and loving the material we put out there. We want to continue to provide helpful content for painiacs, but it's a lot of work.

That's where you come in. Your contribution lets us continue to produce quality pain management content—helpful tips on how to manage pain, ideas for self-care, interviews with experts, inspiring stories about people living with pain or illness —and share it in a free, uncommercial way. And, people who feel strongly about our mission, our approach to pain management, and our commitment to changing the landscape of pain, can donate to a cause they feel passionate about. 

Let's change how we talk about, treat, and respond to pain. Together, we can create a network of painiacs who are supportive, informed, enthusiastically determined, proactive, empowered, and self-advocating individuals leading lives of thriving rather than surviving.

Thank you for your support!

Yours,

Shelly

Organizer

Shelly Jackson Buffington
Organizer
Ferndale, WA

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