How would you feel if something you really loved doing was suddenly taken away from you?

That is what happened to Chris who was 30 years into a job as a machinist – a job he loved – when he was diagnosed with severe osteoporosis.

Chris had never heard about osteoporosis growing up and he didn’t know anyone who had it. He certainly wasn’t concerned about it, even as an adult.

Not only did the diagnosis come as a total shock, but it also completely changed Chris’s life. As a machinist, he worked with heavy equipment and tools all day – a lot of his job was lifting, moving, pulling.

But it wasn’t just his job that was affected by osteoporosis, several other areas of Chris’s life were affected, too – his hobbies, his family and his emotions. It was a huge and unexpected blow that took some getting used to.

There’s so much Chris wished he had known sooner.

In 2021, Chris’s doctor told him he had an issue with his bones, but he didn’t really go into detail, and Chris didn’t know what questions to ask.

It wasn’t until three days later that he learned how bad his condition really was. Chris went to the pharmacy to pick up prescriptions his doctor had ordered. The pharmacist handed him pain medication, some calcium and vitamin D – and told him he had severe osteoporosis.

Chris was shocked.

He made another appointment to see his doctor – but this time he wanted to be prepared.

Chris was starting from scratch and when he searched online for “I’ve just been diagnosed with osteoporosis” Osteoporosis Canada kept popping up again and again.

For Chris, reading information on the Osteoporosis Canada website was like turning on a lightbulb.

The next time Chris went to the doctor, he was ready to advocate for himself, thanks to the knowledge and support he received through Osteoporosis Canada. He also learned about what to eat, how to exercise, different medication and treatment options – Chris not only got the information he needed – but he also joined a community.

When Chris made the difficult decision to leave his job because of his osteoporosis after discussions with his family and doctor, retiring years earlier than planned he had a lot of strong emotions – frustration, grief, even anger.

Then Chris joined a virtual support group that connected him with people – including some other men – who were going through the same thing. They really understood what he was going through and it was such a relief for Chris to be able to ask for advice and hear other people’s stories.

Most of all it was a relief to know he wasn’t alone.

After only one year of diet change and medication, Chris’s bone density showed improvement.

Today, Chris continues to attend Osteoporosis Canada’s men support group sharing his story with others, especially those new to the group, he is diligent in his diet and exercise and is focused on staying active, happy and fracture free.

Chris Riegle
Osteoporosis Canada Advocate

This past year, thanks to the ongoing dedication and commitment of individuals who help fuel the vital work of our organization, Osteoporosis Canada has been able to support, advocate and provide resources, tools and education to more people, in more communities across the country.

With a new five-year strategic plan and expanded mandate, with increased French language programming and exciting new developments and opportunities – the impact this past year has been significant for those individuals living with the disease, for those caring for loved ones and for the healthcare providers treating those with osteoporosis and related fractures.

We are moving the needle on increasing access to publicly funded treatments, providing resources to those with limited access to healthcare services and are empowering individuals to be champions in their communities by volunteering their time to educate and lead programming where needed.

We can’t do this without you and with your help, we will continue to innovate and collaborate and push forward to provide the important information, education, services and support to the over 2.3 million Canadians living with osteoporosis.

Thank you to Osteoporosis Canada’s donors, partners, volunteers, advocates and staff. Our continued efforts and successes are all because of you.

Together, we will make Canadians unbreakable.