Contact: Lisa Copen, Rest Ministries, 858-486-4685

MEDIA ADVISORY, Aug. 23 /Christian Newswire/ -- In a recent survey of 611 chronically ill individuals, done by the National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week committee, 53.27% of the respondents said that the most frustrating or annoying comment people make about their illness is "But you look so good!"

"Telling someone they look good is often seen as a compliment," says Lisa Copen, founder of Rest Ministries, the largest Christian organization that serves the chronically ill and sponsors National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week. "Unfortunately, it feels like an invalidation of the physical pain, seriousness of one's illness, and the suffering they cope with daily."

According to Copen, author of "Beyond Casseroles: 505 Ways to Encourage a Chronically Ill Friend," astounding statistics show that nearly 1 in 2 people in the USA have a chronic condition and 96% of it is invisible. National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week, September 10-16, 2007, is an outreach to increase awareness that living with an invisible illness can be an emotional challenge--as well as physical--and that more people than we would imagine are suffering silently.

Survey participants reported other annoying comments people make:
• "Your illness is caused by stress." (14.22%)
• "If you stopped thinking about it and went back to work..." (12.42%)
• "You can't be in that much pain. Maybe you just want attention." (10.95%)
• "Just pray harder." (9.15%)

The campaign theme is "Living with invisible illness is a roller coaster. Help a friend hold on!" Twenty online seminars will be available. Individuals, support groups and churches are encouraged to reach out to those with invisible illness. Resources and online seminars are at www.invisibleillness.com.

Copen, 38, who has lived with rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia for fifteen years says. "Seventy-five of marriages impacted by illness end in divorce and 70% of suicides have uncontrollable physical pain as a factor. There are hundreds of invisible illness such as diabetes, cancer, fibromyalgia, and Crohn's disease as well as mental illness and conditions such as bulimia or migraines. Regardless of one's illness or level of pain, feeling isolated and misunderstood can be emotionally devastating. We are each responsible for learning how to effectively show compassion and understanding to those we care about, including the chronically ill."

For more information see http://www.invisibleillness.com or call 888-751-7378. Rest Ministries, www.restministries.org is an affiliate of Joni and Friends International Disability Center and publisher of various books for the chronically ill and illness ministries.