Relaunch of online community to help connect people living with osteoporosis, thanks to National Lottery funding

The Royal Osteoporosis Society is thrilled to relaunch "Bone Health and Osteoporosis UK" – a supportive online community for those affected by osteoporosis, bone health and fractures, as part of a broader peer-support development programme Osteoporosis Connect.  

Thanks to National Lottery funding, this community offers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week connection with other people who are living, or supporting those, with osteoporosis and other bone health difficulties.  

People can post about their experiences and concerns and receive support from others who have had similar experiences. Our community is hosted on the trusted HealthUnlocked platform of health and wellness communities, and is fully moderated by ROS and HealthUnlocked, to ensure a safe environment to connect and learn with others. There are already hundreds of members, supporting each other every day.  

Rose Stone,  Acting Director of Services and Innovation at the ROS said: “We’re delighted this funding from The National Lottery Community Fund has enabled us to strengthen our online community for people with osteoporosis, helping people to connect and support each other online.”  

Reflecting on the value of peer support, an ROS Volunteer said: “Peer-to-peer support has huge benefits – including a sense of reassurance that you’re not alone, a chance to ask for (and exchange) information without feeling silly or embarrassed and a satisfaction that you might be able to support someone else who may be going through similar things to you.”  

Osteoporosis in the UK   

Osteoporosis affects over 3.5 million people in the UK and causes more than 500,000 broken bones every year. The condition causes bones to become weak and break more easily, leading to pain and loss of independence. The ROS is the only charity dedicated to improving the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis and fragility fractures in the UK.   

What is Osteoporosis Connect? 

The Osteoporosis Connect Programme is funded by a three-year grant from the National Lottery Community Fund to expand our existing peer-support services, in partnership with those with lived experience. We are focusing on reaching new communities, not previously supported by the charity.