The Breathworks Foundation Mindfulness for Pain, Stress and Illness Helping people living with pain, stress and illness to lead happier, healthier lives FOUNDATION
Dear friend of Breathworks I feel passionately about all that Breathworks does, taking mindfulness to people living with chronic pain, stress and illness and transforming their lives. Eight years ago my G.P. suggested I attend a Breathworks Mindfulness for Health course, I was finding it very difficult to come to terms with chronic pain. I attended that course and it turned my life around. I ve since become a Breathworks Associate Teacher and Senior Trainer teaching mindfulness to others and have seen its transformative effects time after time. Now, as a Breathworks Foundation Trustee, I write to ask for help on behalf of those who cannot afford the costs of a course or training to become a teacher themselves, and to help us with our research programme. Please would you consider making a donation to The Breathworks Foundation? Thank you for reading this leaflet! Cate Clark Who we are The Breathworks Foundation is the charity arm of Breathworks, the fruit of the life and work of Vidyamala Burch. Vidyamala injured her spine when she was a teenager, and has used mindfulness practices to help her manage chronic pain and disability for nearly 30 years. In 2001 she founded Breathworks, a not-for-profit organisation, specialising in Mindfulness-Based Pain and Illness Management, so that she could offer all that she has learnt to others. Breathworks now has teachers offering MBPM in over 20 countires worldwide. Vidyamala knows how pain and disability can eat away at financial resources. She had to give up her promising career in the film industry when she was just 25 and has struggled to earn a living for most of her life. She knows that many people could benefit from the Breathworks approach but can t afford to pay for courses and training. 3
The Foundation was established to provide a fundraising wing to Breathworks, so people who have some spare funds could enable people with very little funds to learn all the skills that Breathworks offers. This is very dear to Vidyamala s heart. Neither she nor the trustees of the Foundation want anyone to be excluded from Breathworks simply due to costs. We hope you will read this brochure and feel moved to give to the Foundation. You will be helping us to help others get their lives back. Our Board A Board of Trustees who are experienced in charity governance internationally, as well as mindfulness, manages the Breathworks Foundation. A consultant clinical psychologist currently chaired the Board of Trustees. He also has many years experience running chronic pain management programmes. The founders of Breathworks advise the Board of Trustees. Our mission is to reduce suffering and to improve the lives of people living with chronic pain, stress or illness. The Breathworks Foundation, a registered charity, has been set up: To advance the education of the public in mindfulness-based activities To undertake research into mindfulness-based activities and to publish the useful results thereof To relieve mental or physical suffering by the provision of mindfulness-based activities Support Research Breathworks has an ongoing research programme supported by an independent advisory board of leading academics. This is an area we are keen to develop as it is important for us to have a robust evidence base in order that our work can continue. Your donation or legacy will help us achieve that goal. 5000 will provide funding for a part-time researcher to lead our research programme into MBPM. If 40 people gave 10 a month this target would be reached. Research partners have so far included: Human Pain Research Group, University of Manchester and Salford Royal NHS Trust University of Manchester, School of Psychological Sciences University of Buckingham, Psychology Dept University of Leeds, School of Healthcare University College Hospital, London We are always keen to partner with others on research projects. If you are interested then please email colin.duff@breathworks.co.uk who will be in touch to discuss further. 4 5
Who we have helped Since we last met I ve got a job! Credit for that must go to the tools given to me on the course. CJ, Back pain I can t thank you enough for techniques I will have all my life which I can use anywhere. JS, Neck Muscle Spasms 6 I feel more confident and can enjoy being alive right now. AG, Cancer recovery and ME It has been the best help for me without a doubt, not only my husband has noticed the difference in me but others have mentioned that I seem different. JO, Chronic Fatigue 7
Breathworks Foundation Research Advisory Board Support People 8 Amanda C de C Williams is an academic psychologist at University College London, with a clinical session at the Pain Management Centre, National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery (University College Hospital, London). Lance M. McCracken is Professor of Behavioural Medicine at King s College London, in the Health Psychology Section of the Psychology Department. He is also a Consultant Clinical Psychologist and the Psychology Lead at the INPUT pain management centre at St Thomas Hospital in London. Stephen Morley is Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Leeds where he was director of the clinical psychology training programme from 1993-2014. His current research is on the impact of pain on a person s sense of identity and on the effectiveness of psychological treatments for chronic pain. Many people with chronic conditions have very limited resources. The Breathworks Foundation provides bursaries to enable them to come on our courses. 50 will provide a set of materials for one person (books and CDs) 75 will allow one person to attend our online programme and overcome isolation 160 will enable them to join a mentored world wide virtual group as they go through our online programme 200 will provide a place on an 8 week mindfulness course 2000 will provide places for 10 people on an 8 week mindfulness course If 30 people gave 5 a month this target would be reached 9
Standing Order Form Yes! I want to support Breathworks and help people living with pain, stress and illness to lead happier, healthier lives. Title Forename Surname Address Postcode Your instruction to your bank or building society To the manager of (your bank name) Your bank address Your bank account name Sort code Account no. Please pay The Breathworks Foundation (charity reg. no. 1131851) Account Title: The Breathworks Foundation, The Cooperative Bank Sort Code: 08-92-99 Account Number: 65375369 (our ref ) 10 per month 15 per month 25 per month Other amount from the start date Today s date Your signature You can cancel this standing order with your bank at any time. Please post this completed form to: The Breathworks Foundation, 16-20 Turner St, Manchester M4 1DZ. You can also set up a payment with us electronically. Please visit www.breathworksfoundation.org.uk for more info Make your gift worth even more I would like Breathworks Foundation to claim Gift Aid on this donation as well as all donations I have made in the past four years and in future, unless I notify you otherwise. By ticking this box I confirm that I have paid or will pay income tax and/or capital gains tax for each year (6 April one year to 5 April the next) that is at least equal to the tax that all charities or Breathworks Foundation will reclaim on my donation in the appropriate tax year. Other taxes such as VAT and Council tax do not qualify. Please let us know if your tax position or address changes. 10 11
Aryamati Bursary fund Our bursary fund has been extended with a generous donation from Aryamati Olga Kenyon. Aryamati experienced great benefit from Breathworks which helped her live a full and active life despite severe chronic pain. She wished for others to likewise benefit but was aware that many of the people who most needed mindfulness were unable to afford to pay for it due to the limiting circumstances of pain and illness. Aryamati passed away in 2014 and we are delighted to name this bursary fund after her, to honour her memory and generosity. Inspiring stories - a participant My pain hasn t disappeared; but I ve learned to respond with kindness to the mental stress and anxiety that goes with living with physical pain. Breathworks helped me turn my life around when I thought it was over. Sue McKenna, who lives with Paget s disease Inspiring stories - a teacher I received a bursary to help me complete my Breathworks Teacher Training. I have had long-term health issues since birth and mindfulness has completely transformed my life, including losing seven stone in weight. I now teach mindfulness to others including healthcare professionals. I can t express enough gratitude to the Breathworks Foundation and all those who donate. Joy Reeves, Degenerative conditions 12 13
Support Teachers Ways you can give There is real need for Breathworks teachers in this country and abroad. We train health professionals and others. Demand is high but some people who would make excellent teachers are excluded because of the cost. The Foundation provides support through bursaries: 640 will enable one person to attend our non-residential modular training programme. 1200 will enable one person to attend a week long residential training programme 3000 will provide a complete training programme for one person If 40 people gave 8 a month this target would be reached 14 These are some of the different ways you can help Make a one-off donation Make a regular donation by standing order Leave a legacy in your will (see page 8) One off donations We are happy to receive donations of any amount - nothing is too small or too large!please send a cheque to the address provided at the back of this brochure or pay online at www.breathworks-foundation.org.uk Gift Aid Make your gift worth even more If you are a UK tax payer we can claim gift aid which makes your donation worth another 25%. Please go to the bottom of page 10 to find a form to fill in and send to us. Standing up for Breathworks Taking out a standing order will help ensure the Breathworks Foundation has a steady income to fund our bursary and research programmes. Go to page 10 to set up your Standing Order. Any amount large or small will be greatly appreciated. 15
Your legacy It is never too soon to start thinking about how we can help improve the lives of those who follow us. Suffering of one form or another is a part of the human condition and this will be as true of the generations that follow us as it is for ourselves. At Breathworks we know both experientially and through modern research, that mindfulness and compassion are powerful tools to ease this suffering. By leaving a legacy to the Breathworks Foundation you will be helping to make the world a better place. You will be changing lives. 16 17
The will to give Applying for help Working with us Deciding on who to leave your money and possessions to can be a big decision. Make a provision in your Will to the Breathworks Foundation and you could ensure your wishes are fulfilled. We have the expertise and infrastructure to use your bequest wisely. Contact us to discuss how your bequest could be used, or visit www.breathworks-foundation.org.uk for examples You can apply for help from our bursary funds by filling out a bursary application form or by email or post. Requests for help can be made at any time and can be used to either subsidise a place on a course or a teacher training programme. You can also apply on someone else s behalf. The generous giving of time has always been at the heart of Breathworks and the generosity of out volunteers means we can help greater numbers of people living with pain, stress and illness to live happier, healthier lives. If you would like to volunteer for Breathworks, please contact the office. A legacy to the Foundation will gift many places on Breathworks participant and teacher training programmes, and help us develop a robust evidence base for our work. This will help encourage governments and health care institutions to embed mindfulness and compassion into society. 18 19
The Breathworks Foundation, 16 20 Turner Street, Manchester, M4 1DZ Telephone: +44 (0)161 834 1110 Email: info@breathworks.co.uk www.breathworks-foundation.org.uk The Breathworks approach to MindfulnessBased Pain Management (MBPM) is the most comprehensive, in-depth, scientifically up-to-date and user-friendly approach to learning the how of living with chronic pain and reclaiming one s life that I know of...i admire Vidyamala Burch tremendously...her approach could save your life and give it back to you Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD Professor Emeritus of the University of Massachusetts Medical School, USA 20 FOUNDATION Breathworks Charity Registration No: 1131851