Frances Winfield Bremer, Wife of Ambassador L. Paul Bremer, III, to Become Spokeswoman for the National Fibromyalgia Association

ANAHEIM, Calif., Oct. 3  /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Fibromyalgia Association today announced that Frances Winfield Bremer, wife of Ambassador L. Paul Bremer, III, will be its designated spokeswoman to help raise national and international awareness of fibromyalgia, a chronic pain illness that experts believe affects up to 10 million Americans and 5 percent of the world's population.

Mrs. Bremer was diagnosed with fibromyalgia 25 years ago. Amb. Paul (Jerry) Bremer, who was appointed Presidential Envoy to Iraq in 2003 by President George W. Bush, will be supporting his wife's advocacy by making joint media appearances with her in the upcoming year. The "Spokespair" will also appear on the cover of the upcoming issue of the NFA's Fibromyalgia AWARE magazine, scheduled for release in December.

"The National Fibromyalgia Association has waited a long time for the right spokesperson to help raise public awareness of this illness," said Lynne Matallana, president and founder of the NFA. "We are grateful to Mrs. Bremer for her willingness to share her personal story of living with fibromyalgia, and also to Amb. Bremer for his important role as a supportive husband, caregiver and advocate."

The Bremers hope to help give the National Fibromyalgia Association -- and fibromyalgia itself -- greater visibility on a national and global scale.

"Because of our international travels, we have friends and contacts all over the world," said Frances Bremer.  "And, because of my husband's willingness to actively support me in this as 'spokespouse,' we can underline the fact that fibromyalgia impacts the whole family."

Amb. Bremer said he agonized about leaving his wife by herself in the States when he left for Iraq, but they kept in daily contact through phone calls and e-mails for the year that he was in Baghdad.

Now he is supporting her public advocacy by making joint appearances with her.  "I couldn't have handled my job in Iraq without her," Bremer says.  "Now I want to help Francie raise awareness of fibromyalgia and, hopefully, stimulate more interest in finding a cure."

ABOUT THE NFA:

The National Fibromyalgia Association is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to develop and execute programs dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with fibromyalgia.  For more information, visit http://www.fmaware.org/, 714-921-0150. 

National Fibromyalgia Association