Living Despite: New Support Group for Chronic Health Sufferers in Vernon

A group in town is hoping to help more people find their life, despite their health. Living Despite is presented by John Rudy Health Resource Centre and TLC Pain Management every fourth Wednesday of the month at the Vernon library from, 1 to 2:30 p.m. The educational meetings will be with specialists and like-minded people who truly understand living despite chronic health conditions. That can include chronic pain, arthritis, MS, cancer, etc. “This has grown to having a consistent number of people each month who can come listen to a professional talk to us about ways they can help,” said coordinator Kari Wutzke. “We have had professionals from sound therapy, counseling, lived experience, physiotherapists, fitness trainers, pharmacists, ability aids and many more.” The meetings have been underway for three years, initially as a chronic pain group and in September 2025 it changed the name to Living Despite and also opened it up for more chronic health conditions along with chronic pain. But a place for meetings and online support has been offered much longer, since 2016, as TLC Pain Management, prior to connecting with the John Rudy Health Resource Centre. The events are free and there is an option for Zoom each month for those who can’t make it in person (contact John Rudy Health Resource Centre for more information). The next Living Despite Meeting on Jan. 28 has Gillian Boehm speaking about Pranic Healing. “I have dealt with chronic pain and illness personally throughout my life,” Boehm said. “I am now in a position to assist individuals through their health journey and provide simple and practical solutions to bring about more balanced mental, emotional, and physical well-being.” The meeting will explore the energetic anatomy, how it relates to the physical body, and how Pranic Healing can help alleviate symptoms and even reverse the patterns of disease. There will also be a short guided meditation and a gentle breathing exercise to bring about more inner peace and stillness.