Ben Horgan

---

Technical Advisory Group

Strategic Advisory Group

Patient Research Partner Support Team

Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Working group

PEIRS Working Group

Remission in RA Working Group

I have been lucky enough to be involved in OMERACT since 2004 and have attended 6 conferences along the way. In Australia I have had a long-standing relationship with local state and national Arthritis Foundations and the Australia New Zealand Musculoskeletal Clinical Trials Network (ANZMUSC) as well as the Australian Rheumatology Association. All these relationships have allowed me to support local researchers to involve people with a lived experience of inflammatory arthritis in their research teams as well as providing input into improved services and support networks around the country. 

I was a lead advocate working in our nation’s capital to enable Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Health to be named a National Health Priority and successfully lobbied for Biologic medication to be made available through Australia’s medical benefits scheme (MBS).

Between 2003 and 2009 I was part of Australia’s National Action Network for the Bone and Joint Decade (BJD 2000-2010), including 3 years as the National Coordinator, the only patient globally to be given the role. During this time I convened the BJD Global conference on the Gold Coast (2007) focussing on Back Pain.

Currently I’m working at Royal Perth Hospital as the Coordinator of Consumer Partnerships full time. In my spare time I coach AFL football and enjoy playing golf with my 2 sons. 

Since being diagnosed at the age of 2 with Juvenile Arthritis I have lived through countless hardships and constant pain. In the end though, this disease has made me who I am today and has provided me far more opportunities than it has taken away. The chance to work within OMERACT has provided me a global family, many of whom will be lifelong friends. Thank you to all who have shown me kindness and support and valued my input over two decades.