Lots more to tell you!

Hello,

Hope you are all ok. We wanted to remind you about some of the great events coming up, and give our international members a heads up that the clocks have gone back, so we're now on GMT/UST until the Spring. Also, our next journal will be sent to members in November. This c.60-page journal will include the latest research articles, self-management advice and more! The journal is a members-only benefit, in addition to access to all online events, support groups, relaxations and our annual five-week Living Well series.

If you are a member, please log in to your account to make sure your preferences and personal information are correct. We can't send a journal if 'contact by post' is unchecked. Similarly, we'll run into trouble if you've not added/updated your address. If you do not wish to receive a hard copy, type N in the 'hard copy' field. If you aren’t a member yet, you can join here.

Supporting our community

We have lots of new exciting events coming up.

Understanding & Managing Fatigue in Hypermobility with Beverly Knops, 3rd November from 7-8pm GMT/UST (FREE to members, £8 non-members)

Beverly Knops, Specialist Occupational Therapist, has spent most of her career spanning over thirty years, helping individuals manage, and overcome, persistent fatigue. In her clinical practice, she works closely with clients living with multiple diagnoses, including ME/CFS, Hypermobility and Neurodivergence, providing practical, individualised rehabilitation. Her approach focuses on empowering clients with realistic, everyday strategies including activity and sleep management to help them regain control over their daily lives and improve their overall quality of life. This session will help to:

• Define fatigue

• Discuss prevalence within the hypermobile population

• Reflect on possible causes and whether these can be influenced at all by the individual

• Explore self-management strategies. Book here

The Concise Guide to Collagen and the Hypermobile Body with Lorna Ryan (expert nutritionist) December 3rd from 7-8pm GMT/UST (FREE to members, £8 for non-members)

There is so much 'noise' and misinformation around collagen supplements! Come to this session to learn more about collagen, the facts and the hypermobile body from Lorna Ryan who has decades of expert experience. To supplement or not? An often preoccupying question for many living with Hypermobility & EDS.

This session aims to help you better understand dietary collagen in the context of its role in connective tissue structure, and clinical evidence around improving connective tissue function through dietary collagen intake. This deep dive evidence-based session will cover:

• What collagen is & how it works in the human body

• What are natural sources of collagen & co-factors required for collagen synthesis

• How you break down, absorb & metabolise dietary collagen

• What are the different collagen supplement formats, dose & absorption profiles

• What potential side effects & allergen risks exist with collagen supplementation

• What potential benefits does overall dietary collagen intake & improved collagen synthesis offer in hEDS & EDS

• How to identify key considerations for meeting your nutritional requirements for optimal collagen production. Book your place here.

Neuroplasticity and the Unpredictable Body with Natalie Rivans, *DATE CHANGE* December 8th from 7-8pm (FREE to MEMBERS, £5 for non-members)

Come to this session to learn more about Neuroplasticity and the Unpredictable Body: Reducing the Extra Layer of High Alert Around Pain, Injury and Flare-Ups with certified Somatic Practitioner, Mindfulness, and Meditation teacher, Natalie Rivans.

Natalie will explain what neuroplasticity is, how the brain and nervous system continually adapt through experience, and why this can be relevant when symptoms have persisted for a long time. This session will also include a practical exercise for shifting attention away from constant body-monitoring and helping the nervous system move out of high alert; a 10-minute guided visualisation; and some simple ways we can begin using these principles during everyday symptoms and flare-ups. Book here

And just in case you missed it... Here's the recording!

Ask the Experts: All about Hypermobility Neurodivergence, Thursday 15th October at 7pm with Jo Southall (OT) and by Alexandra Lawrence (OT specialising in Neurodivergence)

In this extra-special session, Jo Southall was joined by Alexandra Lawrence, an occupational therapist specialising in neurodivergence. Jo and Alex shared both professional, and lived-experience-informed expertise. The session was lively and a little chaotic (in the good way), and focused on the overlap between hypermobility, chronic illness, neurodivergence, pain, fatigue, POTS, burnout, sensory needs, interoception and mobility aids. To access the recording and all the accompanying notes, tips and links please read the blog here

If you do one thing to support our work…please follow our Instagram feed (@hmsacharity) and like and share posts. This is a great, free way to raise awareness and make sure more people get the information and support they need.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

As the only UK charity that truly supports everyone affected by hypermobility, we are here for you all, and our work and activities this year will reflect this. We’ll be supporting you with practical, solution-focused, holistic support for anyone with symptomatic hypermobility all year round.

With your support, we will be able to do more, and get our community the support they deserve. If you are ever able to, you can set up a one-off donation or a regular donation here: https://donate.giveasyoulive.com/donate?cid=278351

Thank you so much to everyone who supports our work, volunteers, fundraises for us or makes a donation. We really can’t thank you enough and genuinely appreciate everyone who helps us in this way.

You can also support us by becoming a member. Membership brings a range of wider benefits and resources, and helps us to support you. You can purchase a membership here with pricing from just £24 a year. 

We hope you to see you all at an event very soon.

Very best wishes,

Lisa and the Team