Starting a Support Group
by Louise Plaster

Why?

• Education
• Education on illness
• Learn coping skills
• hare experiences with others
• Support Buddy System
• Socialize
• Research
• To continue to push for Awareness of problem
• To push for more written material
• Lead to better understanding of illness
• Lead to better treatments
• Empowerment
• Create situations where empowerment can be learned

Where to start:

Find place to meet Hospitals, churches, restaurant and etc. Ask doctor for help Start with personal doctor treating illness Where to find people:

Advertise – for free Local newspaper – Call and ask for health editor Small town or independent newspapers – contact editor Contact TV stations Talk to health care reporter Supply non-technical information to all Educate them to get their attention to want to do a story on subject Make Business cards Contact person and phone number Meeting time and day Web address and e-mail address Take to doctor offices Take to other healthcare offices

Dr. Schwartz was a sponsor and founding board member of the Palmetto Post Polio& Peripheral Neuropathy Support Group, which he helped form in 1986 as the Greenville Post Polio Support Group. He is a physiatrist specializing in complex, chronic pain and physical and vascular medicine.

Dr. Schwartz practices at Piedmont Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, PA in Greenville, SC. Dr. Schwartz is certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and is a fellow of the Society For Vascular Medicine And Biology. He is on the teaching staff at MUSC, Charleston, SC. and the Bioengineering Department at Clemson University, Clemson, SC. He has lectured extensively throughout the United States and Europe.