FWD: American RSDHope group looking for Mentors to volunteer

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From: byrd45 (Original Message) Sent: 8/24/2005 8:11 AM
American RSDHope is looking for Mentor's


A couple of months ago my Mom an sister suggested that we start a program of Mentors for Support groups. I had to laugh because I had been thinking along the same lines.


Sort of.


I have been putting together in my mind over the last couple of months a way of finding some people who where either Support Group Leaders and/or their top assistants who were willing to reach out and help people who wanted to start a new local support group but needed guidance, support, and sometimes just a kind word to keep them going. I had even connected a couple of people over the last few months to do that very thing.


It isn't enough to give them a set of "tips", although they are extremely helpful and we welcome any that you have to add to our list, but they need someone who has been down that road and has experienced what it is like when things happen such as

- How to get people aware of the group in the first place

- What to do when no one shows up at the first meeting

- How to handle an unruly attendee at a meeting

- How to handle someone who comes to every meeting and takes control by constantly telling "their"story and not letting others share.

- How to do fundraising

- The ins and outs of going non-profit, is it worth it, what is involved, etc.



These questions and many more can be handled by a mentor. Do you have what it takes to be a Mentor? Do you have the skills and the background? Are you willing to devote some of your spare time to helping a group get on their feet and headed down the right path? This is a serious commitment but let me tell you, there is no greater reward than helping others.

If this is something that interests you, or might interest you, please contact our Board of Directors, specifically Mom O and Karen (Orsini) Toner. The email is RSDHope@adelphia.net . Just put in the subject line "MENTOR PROGRAM - SUPPORT GROUP" and tell Mom and Karen a little bit about yourself and she will take it from there.

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(Then just a couple of weeks ago, Rhonda who is running a very successful Tucson, AZ Group contacted Karen with the same idea I had been working on, lol, Hey, Rhonda! Great Minds Think Alike!

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CONVERSLY, IF YOU ARE THINKING OF STARTING A FACE-2-FACE SUPPORT GROUP (one that meets in person and not on the internet) AND WOULD LIKE A MENTOR TO HELP YOU ACCOMPLISH THIS, CONTACT MOM & KAREN AT THE SAME EMAIL ADDRESS,

Put in the subject line "MENTOR PROGRAM - SUPPORT GROUP" and tell Mom & Karen and little bit about yourself and she will take it from there.

If for some reason you cannot get through to that email address contact Keith and he will direct your email to them.

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PART TWO OF THE MENTOR PROGRAM


Karen's idea, that she was developing at roughly the same time, again GMTA, was to find Mentors who were willing to help new patients be guided through their first year or two of this disease.


To help them learn things such as


- how to find a good Doctor

- Local support group

- On-line support group that meets their needs

- Help them to understand exactly what it is they have since many Doctors will simply tell them "You have RSD/CRPS" and that is it.

- Be able to recognize when the newly diagnosed person needs professional help, such as a Psychiatrist.

- Explain the symptoms of RSD so they don't think they are crazy, such as memory loss and the extreme pain involved, lack of ability concentrate and sleep.

- Help them to understand medical terms, the treatments available to them, which to avoid,

- Help them to explain the disease and its impact to their families and friends

- Help them to understand the impact on their lives and future, through the many articles available on the website,

- And maybe the most important thing of all, help them to understand they are not alone

- Lastly, how to navigate around the website and make the most out of the experience, and maybe how to become a mentor themselves


Would you like to be a Mentor to a newbie? Have you been down this RSD road before and would you like to help someone else go down it? Would you like to share what you have learned over the years? (typically a mentor would need to have had to have been through at least a couple of years of RSD). Are you willing to devote some of your spare time to a newly diagnosed person? To help them through this difficult experience? It is a rough road. There will be difficult times, understand that.

If this is something that interests you, or might interest you, please contact our Board of Directors, specifically Mom O and Karen (Orsini) Toner. their email is RSDHope@adelphia.net . Just put in the subject line "MENTOR PROGRAM - NEWLY DIAGNOSED" Tell Mom & Karen a little bit about yourself and they will take it from there.

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CONVERSELY, IF YOU ARE A Newly Diagnosed Patient, or recently diagnosed and would like a Mentor in your life, please contact our Board of Directors, specifically Mom O & Karen (Orsini) Toner. Their email is RSDHope@adelphia.net . Just put in the subject line "MENTOR PROGRAM - NEWLY DIAGNOSED" Tell them a little bit about yourself and they will take it from there.