SMILE is a support group for individuals who suffer from chronic pain. Many conditions cause pain to such an extent and can leave the sufferers feeling overwhelmed and facing an uncertain future. Our mission is to welcome these individuals to join a group of like-minded members, who understand that creating good days out of a week of bad days truly is the best medicine.
A little bit of background
Following the completion of a course in pain management at Victoria Hospital, several individuals were keen to know what was the next step in battling their conditions. They looked around and found no local support on offer. Spreading their search a little further, they found the established Liverpool branch of SMILE – Self Motivation In Lasting Endorphins.
The Blackpool branch of SMILE was founded in 2010 and covers Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre areas.
Why is there a need for a support group?
When people experience chronic pain, many things in their life can change, such as work, relationships and carrying out simple daily tasks. This can lead to depression, anxiety, feelings of isolation, loss of confidence and independence. At SMILE, all our members suffer from chronic pain and have an understanding of some of the challenges you may be facing.
We understand your pain and some of the problems you may be experiencing. We all have different degrees of chronic pain, so keeping a positive attitude, even on our darkest days, can only benefit our mind and body. It’s good to know that you are not alone.
We truly believe that sufferers of chronic pain can be helped with a regular social scene, gentle physical exercise and a really good chuckle!
How does it work?
SMILE meets once a week, on a Tuesday morning, from 9.30am until 12.30pm at Cherry Tree Community Centre, Cherry Tree Gardens, off Cherry Tree Road, Blackpool. FY4 4PY. Please not that we are not in the large building on the corner of Cherry Tree Road. We are a little further down Cherry Tree Gardens.
We aim to provide a happy, relaxed and laid back atmosphere at all of our meetings, with an enjoyable schedule, set at the pace of our members. We work through mild stretches, low impact exercise and guided relaxation. Some weeks we’ll have a speaker scheduled to talk about an issue related to our conditions. In between these activities, we are keen to put the kettle on and eat cake and biscuits, then hold group discussions, play games and quizzes, all sprinked with lots of laughter and plenty of smiling!
We offer a buddy system, which means one of our members will spend your first meeting with you. They will introduce you to the group, explain how the group runs and point out the facilities. On your second visit, you’ll see plenty of familiar faces and know your way around.
Why is there such emphasis on exercise?
Exercise is a vital part of our meetings. We do this in two forms – gentle stretches and low impact exercises, which include specially modified circuit and chair exercises.
When a part of our body hurts, we protect it and that usually involves keeping that particular area still. In the case of a recently sprained ankle, this is a useful strategy and allows the injured tissues to heal safely. However, there comes a time when the healing is done and the pain that we feel is then more likely to be due to the resultant stiffness and lack of use.
In this situation, the pain is no longer useful. By gently and gradually stretching the soft tissues around our joints (the muscle, tendons and ligaments that surround the joint) suppleness is regained. If these structures are more supple, you will notice that they do not hurt as much when you move them again after resting. Through exercise you can improve your balance, co-ordination and keep your weight down, all of which will further reduce the strain on joints. Exercise stimulates your body to produce more endorphins; these give you a sense of well-being. It also improves the body’s ability to cope with everyday activities and reduce the potential for flare ups of pain.
It’s all about balance
We have a guided relaxation session at the end of our meetings and we use a number of different CDs that the group have researched and recommended. Chronic pain sufferer’s lives can be full of stress and pressures, some we create ourselves, others we cannot control. We may find it difficult to relax and to sleep. Coping with the stresses of life with pain is an essential skill and you can help yourself by joining in our relaxation session which aims to bring calmness to the mind, allowing our thoughts to settle and to feel rested.
As a group, we all try to support each other whenever possible. This can simply be sharing tips on how we’ve learnt to make life easier, new medication we’ve heard of and researched, or privately some members of the group will help each other with transport or help with a task (as a lot of our members have now become close friends). We do arrange social events within the group, we’ve been on Canal Trips, a day trip to the Lake District, Southport Flower Show, Christmas Parties and many more (some of which are subsidised for fully paid members).
We are growing as a group and have professional visitors who come to Blackpool Smile on a regular basis. Our fitness coach is highly qualified with more than 15 years experience. Deborah visits every two weeks to perform the exercise classes that have been specially structured for people with chronic pain.
How do you qualify to join?
We enjoy making new friends and you will always receive a warm welcome with a smile. Many of our members have completed the Pain Management Course and have been referred directly to SMILE. Those who have not attended the course are more than welcome, but will need to ask their GP or Health Practitioner to complete a referral form provided by us. This confirms that they are happy for you to participate in our gentle stretches, low impact exercises and guided relaxation. We do not want any prospective members to injure themselves by performing the wrong exercise for their particular condition.
Are there any costs involved?
Our membership fee is £5 per year and there is a £3 weekly subscription, but the first week is free. The weekly amount includes refreshments, venue hire and tutor costs, etc. We believe that this is good value for money – an enjoyable morning combined with gentle exercise and discussion groups. A true opportunity to make new friends who understand your pain.
When you join, we ask you to fill in a membership form. Your details will be kept confidential, will be used only by this group and will not be given to any third parties. Anything discussed during the meetings will be kept in complete confidence.
Please note:
The information given at any meeting does not necessarily imply endorsement by the SMILE Committee. Any information or recommendation of a medical nature must always be discussed with a qualified professional. The SMILE Committee cannot be held responsible for omissions and/or errors in the information that is provided in printed or verbal form.