The Finnish Migraine Association (FMA) was founded in 1995 to raise awareness about migraine and other headache disorders, to improve access to diagnosis and appropriate treatment for those who need it and also to support people affected with headache. Over the years the Association has developed into a lay expert organisation with input to national health policy and treatment guidelines. The office is located in Helsinki but we have local groups in almost thirty towns.

FMA currently has about 3,000 members but Finland is estimated to have 500,000 people with migraine alone. Accurate population-based epidemiological studies are not available. Despite the name, FMA offers support and services also for people with tension type headache, basilar type migraine, familial hemiplegic migraine, cluster headace, trigeminus neuralgia and for children with headache and their families.

The services and activities include

• bi-annual magazine
• e- newsletters
• information leaflets
• support groups for different headache types
• training for support group leaders
• telephone helplines for different headche types
• public seminars
• education of nurses and health care personnel in co-operation with doctors
• surveys and studies on headache related topics

FMA is a member in the national network of neurological patient lay groups and organises national campaigns with them. On the international front, FMA is a founding member of European Headache Alliance and a member of World Headache Alliance. Ms Hilkka Kettinen has been in WHA Council since 2003, and Chairman of WHA since 2005.