What success looks like!

[Polywotsit]

Hi everyone,

A couple of people have suggested that we show you the extent of the activity on the PMRGCAuk forum. So here is a table showing you just that. You can see that last month we had over 2000 active members, who visited the forum an average of around once a day. You posted a total of nearly 14,000 new posts, replies and comments, and there were a staggering quarter of a million page views!

We are experiencing 15-20 new posts every day, plus replies. I am a member of the Cholesterol support forum, and they don't get that many new posts in a week! It's interesting, because there are a lot more people who get diagnosed with high cholesterol than get diagnosed with PMR or GCA.

For all of these posts, we want to make sure that people get their questions answered and feel supported. But also that they get a balanced viewpoint, which might mean sometimes putting forward a different point of view. This is never in a spirit of judgment but in the spirit of helping people manage their condition.

I hope that soon we will have a new team of moderators who can take on some of this task. On behalf of PMRGCAuk, many thanks to all of you who have come forward to say you are interested in helping. There will be some news soon!

[JulianJ]

Polywotsit , those are some really good figures, and we can see just how busy moderators are from it.

I think that this group is very supportive of each other and that helps the forum grow. The number of posts does reflect on the quality of the replies from members. Different points of view are also very helpful.

18+ posts per hour 24x7 is a big workload for the moderators. I think these figures do put things into perspective for us.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Kate,

I guess the volume on this forum is because there is scant information “out in the big wide world ”.

Getting better, but still not on a par with cholesterol and more “common” ailments.

Just confirms how necessary it is.

[markbenjamin57 in reply to DorsetLady]

And..? Quality / Relevance of Information / Data is as important as the Quantity.

[markbenjamin57]

Many thanks Kate

I appreciate that you are doing this volunteer work at the same time as dealing with your recent personal / family losses. Although the Data-crunching is above my head, it's the sentiment behind your message that resonates most with me.

Ironically (and for what my humble opinion is worth!) PMRGCAuk and this forum are a victim of their combined success in that the growth and diversity of 'traffic' (number and style of Posts etc) has placed an even greater burden on the volunteer Mods to manage it in the best interests of all. Ohh, I don't envy the task you Mods have!

Either way, 'Communication Is All' in resolving misunderstandings and issues: and I appreciate your efforts in stepping forward.

Best wishes

MB

[Oxford8 in reply to markbenjamin57]

Amen to that M . Says it all.

[jinasc]

How about a under TOPICS a heading 'Chatterbox'.

then those that want to can chat about anything off piste ie Tips and Tricks etc.

[Gillianna]

Thank you Kate for all you have put in to the forum. Dear lady enjoy your retirement which I am sure will be filled with usefulness. Bless you! G

[scats]

I very nearly posted to say there seemed to be a lot of new people joining, here's the evidence.

I was wondering if it was seasonal or if perhaps the leaflets put in Dr's surgeries were bearing fruit but I didn't suspect it was this many. Any ideas why this should be?

Thanks for all your time and dedication given to the forum Kate, it has become a lifeline to so many of us.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to scats]

It comes up very near the top in search engines now - in fact, I can find stuff on the site more easily using google than the in-site search thing which used to be much better until they tweaked it and made it useless!!

[scats in reply to PMRpro]

Yes I've found that. Surprising because I generally find Google less helpful than it used to be.

[GerriMc]

Thanks Kate! 👍🏼

[sennetta]

Interesting, thanks. Although I daresay the people not on the cholesterol forum have been handed large quantities of statins and as a result are under the mistaken impression that their problems are sorted! Therefore no need from them for a forum!

Some might find the talk by a British Cardiologist on the other end of this link interesting - it's quite long, but keep listening - it gets more enlightening/horrifying as it progresses.

youtube.com/watch?v=jcnd3us...(Not working as expected?)

[Suet3942]

Thank you Kate and all the other moderators . You do a sterling job. This site has been a lifeline for me and countless others. X

[Charlie1boy]

Very interesting to read the figures you have circulated Kate. Firstly, it just shows the overwhelming need for the forum, and secondly, it gives those of us who use the forum some indication of the amount of work the moderators are required to do. Think you've done a great job.

Best wishes

Paddy

[bunnymom]

That was an eye opener. Thanks for all your support and tlc for this site. May things get sorted to good advantage.

[Oxford8]

Thanks Kate,

This is a great forum. A lifeline to many of us. 👍🙂

[Marilyn1959]

Staggering data!

I joined a Leukaemia group on health unlocked to try to find out more in an effort to support our friend and his family. I had four responses in two weeks. These included a welcome from administrators.

So what makes PMR/GCA different and the site so successful? My guess are the mainstays who are always there regardless ??????

Grateful we are to them too xxx

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Marilyn1959]

It is similar on the patient forum - far more activity than most other groups.

Well, unless it is broken which has been the case a few times recently...

[Rugger]

Thank you Kate for these statistics.

I'm thinking that if the 2328 active members were all paid up members of PMRGCAuk at £15 pa or a $15 donation, that would generate almost £35,000 pa for the charity. That could make such a difference, especially to the £50,000 appeal in the charity's 10th year.

pmrgca.org.uk

[Polywotsit PMRGCAuk team member in reply to Rugger]

You are so right! I know that there are quite a few charity members who came to PMRGCAuk via this forum. It's important that the forum should always be free. On the other hand, we are very dependent on donations from people with PMR and GCA to keep the charity able to continue its work. It's not easy to raise money for a good cause from trusts and foundations when the beneficiaries are mostly postmenopausal women! Sad but true!

[GOOD_GRIEF in reply to Polywotsit]

I'm still trying to find a way to make a contribution from the USA that won't be eaten up by bank fees.

Any ideas?