2nd Annual Women in Pain Conference

Los Angeles (myFOXla.com) - Millions suffer from chronic pain... and many of those cases go undiagnosed. At the 2nd Annual "Women in Pain" Conference at the California Science Center, they came to be heard and to help others.

Glynis Washington DeVance, Chronic Pain Sufferer:
I've been there and done that. Been there, done that.

Loretta Jones/Founder, Healthy African American Families:
"I was in pain, I was trying to talk to my doctor. He said, Oh let me just give you something for depression. .I'm not so much depressed, my foot hurts.... I left him and went somewhere else and they finally managed my pain."

Dr. Ken Wells, MD/UCLA:
"Today is about bringing knowledge to the community so the community has its own power to move forward and get the things it needs."

Cynthia Touissant/Founder, For Grace:
"We need to be aware that pain is very often not a symptom to an underlying problem but a disease in and of itself. That's what I have."

Turning the spotlight on women in pain has been Cynthia Toussaint's mission for nearly three decades. She's the founder and spokesperson of "For Grace", a group dedicated to shining the spotlight on and helping women suffering chronic pain all over the world.

An early misdiagnosis turned the former ballerina's life into a living hell, and now she's helping to comfort others.

Cynthia Touissant/Founder, For Grace:
"I could have been cured if I had been treated early.... We have to educate the doctors, we have to educate the nurses, the pharmacists, everybody."

Toussaint hopes the dialogue started here will have an impact.

Cynthia Touissant/Founder, For Grace:
"That is the only way to break down barriers and start understanding each other."

Loretta Jones/Founder, Healthy African American Families:
"We understand that pain hurts and you need to speak out."

Cynthia Touissant encourages those suffering from chronic pain to seek out online support groups, to know that what they're experiencing is real, and to be open to alternative therapies.

To learn more about the Women in Pain conference and issues affecting chronic pain sufferers, go to forgrace.org