On June 13 at the Friar’s Club in New York City, U.S. Pain’s Nicole Hemmenway received Grunenthal’s annual Unsung Hero Award. The Unsung Hero Award is given to an individual who has excelled in the five following areas: relevance of the individual’s work in the pain community, effectiveness of their work, evidence of the individual’s creativity in their work, a broad outreach by the individual to all those in the pain community, and the devotion of the individual in building awareness and change for the pain community.

As both the Vice President of U.S. Pain Foundation and the Director of the INvisible Project, Hemmenway has shown unwavering dedication to the pain community.

“I am truly humbled by the recognition, as countless individuals are deserving of this award,” shared Hemmenway upon accepting the award. “I feel privileged each day to work alongside a team of passionate and dedicated people who are tirelessly working to improve pain care for everyone impacted by its plight. To be able to share the stories of real people living with invisible illnesses via the INvisible Project is remarkable. They are my unsung heroes. Thank you for graciously awarding me this honor, and together, let us keep making a difference within the pain community.”

Hemmenway’s example of persistence and strength are a beacon of hope and inspiration for the pain community.