Posted by Chris M. on 7/25/2008, 12:38 am, in reply to "Local support groups"
199.232.90.239
Luke, there is a small hospital in a small town in a small rural county which had a Nurse who has emphysema.
She started a Pulmonary Function laboratory and worked with patients with lung conditons. She started a Rehab program and advertised a Better Breathing program held in the hospital cafeteria. She literally started with nothing and slowly got Docs to visit her patients on a clinic basis, and then as a Better breathing visitor. Patients from 6 towns around her now had a hospital with good people and visiting Docs on a regular basis, even if only monthly, but she forwarded the PFT tests and kept these Docs coming back.
Today she has moved on but her programs live on, and the Town now has 2 full time Pulmonologists. Her labs do the PFT's well, and the Rehab facility continues as does the Better Breathers group which is thriving under the new Staff.
I had to drive 105 miles for my Rehab. It was a full group of Nurses, Docs, and therapists which each and every one had some form of breathing problems themselves. If I needed to start a Better Breathers group, I'd ignore the list of the lung assn. and go straight to the Rehab folk and ask for one to volunteer with you and go to local press with a 4inch ad.
The Rehab facility will feed the group with potential members, and advice and time will tell. If you have three folks talking and they are having fun and learning, it will grow.
When you need ideas for speakers, start with the Rehab folks telling their stories, and then come back here for plenty of ideas. Ask everyone who comes to spread the news...it'll take off. So glad you are trying this...
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