Can you 'Step up to the Plate'

[jinasc]

> Can you help others just like you, who are on this journey that nobody ever willingly undertakes.

>

> A Support Group for people with PMR and GCA is looking for Volunteers to help it keep going. It is located in Cambridge.

>

> It has been operating for nearly three years, but needs help like yesterday.

>

> Volunteering does not mean you have to work a 40 hour week, more like perhaps 2 or 3 hours. With meetings currently twice a year. Some of the members also meet informally, monthly for a coffee and a chat, but you go if you want.

> If you can keep a register of members - all to the good. Nearly everybody can keep an alphabetical list of names, addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses.

>

> If you are willing to take the occasional telephone call – a patient or carer looking for help - OK you won’t know everything – but you will know where to find out.

>

> If you have any skills into pulling an informal newsletter together – wow.

>

> I know, from experience, that most of you think – oh I will be no good at that sort of thing, but hey – how do you know till you try. You all have experience with computers, otherwise you would not be here reading this post.

>

> I never thought that at 69 I would end up helping to start a support group, but 3 of us did. Two with PMR and one with GCA. All silver surfers. Now 77 and still going strong and yes, we found more people to help, so 6 of us, plus two tea ladies, two raffle sellers and two ladies who keep the record for those attending meetings (record need for Health and Safety) just in case we have to evacuate the building and can count heads. .

>

> All the volunteers have made new friends.

>

> So, if you are in the Cambridge Area and feel, Yes I could help out, the more the merrier andit will help lighten the load and keep it going.

>

> Send me a PM and I will respond.

>

> PS I looked for an Optimist emoticon - there isn't one. grrrrr

[Joyful13]

sambucca,

I was interested in reading your post. I live in Sonoma, California. I have not heard of any support groups here in the United States.

Is there information of how to start a support group. What is involved? How the group is run, etc. I would love to obtain any information possible. We could really use something like that here.

Thanks so much, and I hope that you receive the help that you need.

Best Wishes.

[jinasc in reply to Joyful13]

Yes, we can tell you how to start up and the where's and whyfore's.

However, before we go down that road, check out the National Medical Foundation based in Arizona, started up by a Joan Reiter who had PMR and runs Chapters in the USA. Worth a shot.

I have also sent you a pm.