By Alex Flipse, Support Group Leader
I had no idea so many patients would come for this first meeting! Our part of Texas is not highly populated like Dallas or Houston. Still, we had 5 patients and many caregivers come to our Victoria Area Support Group meeting on Saturday March 8th at the Golden Corral restaurant. Since it was our first time, we had no speakers but instead, held a very informal “meet and greet” around a restaurant table.
We just got to know each other, the way our illness affects us and we shared our diagnosis story. What a great feeling it was to have someone to talk to! People were all very happy and glad to have met other patients. All the caregivers were so generous and supportive, many said the same thing, “please let me know whatever I can do to help my spouse.” Everyone was willing to help out in any way that they could. One couple travelled as far out as Kerville —which is 200 miles (about 3 hours) away.
I talked to them about PHA’s International Conference, and discovered that one patient in our group is definitely going (I know I am!) and several are going to look into it.
I’m definitely excited about our next meeting. We’ll have to figure out a different meeting space and so far I learned that nobody wants to have it at a hospital and hotels are too expensive. I’m looking into a church or other free meeting space in the community.
Thanks to Accredo for their support of the lunch meeting and BIG THANKS to all the patients who came to the first meeting including Mikel and Bebe, Liliian & Jose, Ferol & Joe, and Beverly!
------------------------
Note from PHA Editors: And thanks to YOU Alex Flipse for your work in bringing this meeting together!
