Journal Volume 1 - January 2006
Article 51
| Support Groups:
Maryland and Washington DC Hello fellow TMA members. The Maryland / Washington DC Support Group was founded after our first experience being with other families dealing with TM at the TM Symposium in Baltimore in August 2001. It took us a while to get organized, but we felt so strongly about starting the support group. We knew that it could do so much good for people who were unable to get to the symposium or for those diagnosed with this disease between symposia. We have a lot of family and friends who have supported us through our experience with this disease. Still, we felt somehow disconnected until we met other people with TM. These people were all dealing with the same issues. Where else can you talk about bowel and bladder issues the first time you meet someone. We sent letters to all of the TMA members in the Maryland / Washington DC area, we arranged for a meeting place and we were off and running. The Maryland / Washington DC group had its first meeting on March 29, 2003. Our mission is, to provide support to people dealing with the effects of TM, as well as their loved ones, by providing educational opportunities, fellowship, and an open forum for the expression of ideas and concerns. Our group meets three or four times a year, usually in the fall, winter and spring. Our meetings generally are held in a conference room at the Manekin Corporation, a company that is very active in the community (one of the employees’ father has TM), or at a local restaurant that has a private room that can be reserved. We attempt to have a speaker at each meeting and have had some great ones that have provided much support and useful information to the group. If we are unable to secure a speaker, we have a focused topic discussion and everyone is able to share his or her own experience or advice. For example, at our meeting this past May our topic was traveling with a disability. Each meeting we also try to remind people of some of the fundraising opportunities that are available on the TMA website and encourage our members to take advantage of these events. We usually have from 8 to 14 members in attendance. At each meeting there is usually at least one new person. Whether people come to the meetings or not, it is important that we offer this opportunity; people know that we are here and there is support available. I would encourage anyone to join or start a support group in your area. It has been most rewarding for us as the leaders and also as members to know such wonderful people in our group and also the wonderful people in the TMA community. We truly learn from each other in so many ways. Take care, 117 Foxhound Drive |