How Tracy found her way back to herself after 20 years of chronic pain

Osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis left Tracy's world shrinking "smaller and smaller". Severe pain and fatigue, exacerbated by a cocktail of prescribed medication, made life unrecognisable. The ‘real’ Tracy was a fit and healthy mother of twins with a career she loved, but this stranger in her place was now falling asleep mid-conversation, struggling to shower, and spending most days in bed.

Tracy worked with her GP to explore alternative approaches to pain management, which led her to a funded place on a Breathworks' Mindfulness for Health course, where she learned practical tools for managing pain and other health symptoms and connected with others like her:

"I've rediscovered things that I never thought I would be capable of again. My concentration has improved, and I just feel more connected and open, and can now make plans for the future with my family."

Read Tracy's full story here

Tracy is one of 120,000+ people whose lives have been transformed by learning Mindfulness Based Pain and Health Management with Breathworks. Our charity has been providing evidence-based support for over 20 years – but now we are at a crossroads.

We need your help to raise £50,000 by 31st December, to ensure Breathworks continues to operate as a ‘lifeline’ to people facing debilitating pain, fatigue and illness in 2026 and beyond.

Why is support needed now?

For 25 years, our work has grown supported by course fees, supplemented by grants and donations. However, an epidemic of pain and long-term health conditions combined with the cost of living crisis, means that our essential work cannot continue to grow without fundraising.

By 31st December, we must decide:

➡️ Do we shrink our services and turn people away?

➡️ Or do we grow confidently into 2026, reaching thousands more people who urgently need support?

Why Breathworks?

In 2001, Breathworks was started by a single disabled woman, Vidyamala Burch, with a long experience of chronic pain and a vision to help others. 25 years later Vidyamala has been awarded an OBE for services to pain management and wellbeing, and our charity is internationally recognised for our expertise in mindfulness for pain management:

But what truly sets us apart is heart.

People tell us Breathworks feels different to other organisations. We've cultivated a community where kindness is woven into everything we do.

As Wendy, one of 1000 members of our free community hub, shared:

"I feel so safe with this community. On other social platforms, people with pain can be unkind - it is depressing. The Community of Practice is the opposite. A few words from a fellow member is worth more than anything in a day that feels like just survival. No one will know how this keeps me wanting to live and learn that I can live a better life, even with pain."

Real Lives Transformed - with a Ripple Effect

Each funded place represents a person who might otherwise face daily pain and illness alone. And a mindfulness course is rarely the end of someone’s journey - those who go on to teach reach an average of 100 people a year.

➡ Naomi took a course and teacher training with our support, and now runs a nonprofit in North Devon offering mindfulness to survivors of trauma, as well as people approaching end of life.

➡ Priyanka followed a similar path and has now taught 80+ refugees and host families affected by trauma and displacement. Read more here

Where Your Money Goes

Every donation has a tangible impact. Here are some examples:

£10 - supports the running costs of a free drop-in meditation session, typically for 100 people

£25 - funds a 10-day on-demand course for pain & illness management

£100 - helps someone access an 8-week course through a bursary (pay-what-you-can) place

£1,000 - supports someone to train as a mindfulness teacher

Every donation — large or small — moves us closer to a future where no one faces pain and illness alone.

P.S. If you are a UK tax payer, don't forget to tick the Gift Aid box to help your donation go further!

Join The Mission

For 25 years, we’ve adapted and evolved — through recessions, a pandemic, and a cost-of-living crisis. With your help, we can step into 2026 with confidence, ensuring no one faces daily pain and illness alone.

⭐️ Donate today to help someone in pain find connection, calm, and hope.

Share this appeal on social media, in WhatsApp groups or with your contacts to help us reach more people willing to support us

⚡️Accelerate our efforts by pledging to match fund donations to this appeal. Please contact us for more details.

Find Out More

There’s so much more we could say about the variety and depth of support our charity provides, as well as heartwarming stories from the countless lives transformed. Below are a few key links, should you wish to learn more:

➡ Visit our website here

➡ Read our 2024 Annual Report here

➡ View our Health Course Impact Summary here

Thank you for standing with us at this critical turning point.

Breathworks | Charity No. 1015941