Community - Support Groups | Pituitary Network Association

SUPPORT GROUPS
Is There a Difference?

Self Help Groups are run by patients (i.e., Alcoholics Anonymous) with little professional (i.e.,mental health) input. These groups sole function is to educate and for the members to provide peer support. They are not necessarily directive in any way.

Support Groups are run by a mental health professional (i.e., Social Worker, Psychologist, Psychiatrist) and its purpose is to provide guided support. As with the self-help groups, they have an educational component, usually having to do with learning new coping strategies, problem-solving skills, and the like.

Self Help Groups may function autonomously but support groups, by definition, are directed by a mental health professional. It is very important for a mental health professional to be present since emotionally-laden material is often discussed and someone with the appropriate training must be present to help process it. In addition, self-help groups can be held anywhere; support groups are usually held in a medical environment (i.e., hospital, medical office, etc.) because of their inherent therapeutic nature- they are regarded as a form of psychosocial treatment.

+	International : Canada : Ajax Support Group
–	International : Canada : Ajax Support Group Meetings are on the first Thursday of every month, from 7 to 8:30 P.M. Place: St. Paul's united Church in Ajax, Ontario, located at 65 King's Crescent Road in Ajax ( a small suburb in the Greater Toronto Area). The church has an elevator so it is accessible to all.
+	CA : St. Jude Brain Tumor Patient/Family Support Group
–	CA : St. Jude Brain Tumor Patient/Family Support Group Contact: Kathy Pearson Location: St. Jude Medical Center, 2151 North Harbor, Room 2266 Fullerton, CA USA Tel: 714- 446-7182 E-mail: kpearson@stjoe.org Meeting: 1st & 3rd Mondays, 6:30 to 8:00 pm
+	CA : The Neuro-Endocrine Tumor Center Pituitary Patient Support Group
–	CA : The Neuro-Endocrine Tumor Center Pituitary Patient Support Group Bi-monthly meetings are held at: John Wayne Cancer Institute 2200 Santa Monica Blvd. 2nd floor Santa Monica, CA 90404 For Dates and Times Please visit our website: www.neuro-endo.org Or contact Group Facilitator: Sharmyn McGraw pituitarybuddy@hotmail.com (949) 515-9595
+	CA : The Wellness Community Brain Tumor Support Group
–	CA : The Wellness Community Brain Tumor Support Group Contact: Rebecca Dekker Location: 530 Hampshire Rd. Westlake Village, CA USA 805-379-4777 E-mail: rdekker@earthlink.net Meeting: 1st Thurs. every month, from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
+	CT : Connecticut Brain Tumor Support Group (Adult)
–	CT : Connecticut Brain Tumor Support Group (Adult) Contact: Betsy DeAndrea Location: Yale New Haven Hospital 20 York St. Room #201 New Haven, Connecticut USA Tel: (203) 737-1671 Meeting: 2nd Tuesday monthly 2:00 - 3:30 pm
+	CT : Hartford Hospital Brain Tumor Support Group
–	CT : Hartford Hospital Brain Tumor Support Group Contact: Hillary Keller, LCSW Location: Hartford Hospital -Helen & Harry Gray Cancer Center 85 Retreat Ave Hartford, CT 06106 Tel: 860-545-2318 Meeting: Meets the first Thursday of the month 5:30-7pm Taylor Conference Room. Registration is required. To register please call Hillary Keller (860) 545-2318
+	FL : Central Florida Support
–	FL : Central Florida Support Location: Florida Hospital Cancer Institute 2501 N Orange Ave Orlando, FL 32804 (407)303-3250 Meeting: Every Tuesday 12-1:30pm Please RSVP by 4pm on the Friday before Tuesday’s meeting.
+	GA : Emory Brain Tumor Support Group
–	GA : Emory Brain Tumor Support Group Contact: Maxine Brown Location: 1365-B Clifton Road NE Conference Room B2200, 2^nd floor Atlanta, GA Tel: 404-778-3091 E-mail: maxine.brown@emoryhealthcare.org Website: www.neurosurgery.emory.edu/btsg Meeting: 1st Thursday of each month 12:30pm-2:30pm Free Parking and Light refreshments provided Caregivers are invited to join the meetings quarterly
+	GA : SBTF Support Group
–	GA : SBTF Support Group Contact: Carla Levingston Location: THE WELLNESS COMMUNITY Peachtree Dunwoody Pavilion 5775 Peachtree Dunwoody RD Building C, Room 225 Atlanta, Georgia 30342 Tel: 404-843-3700 Meeting: Starting in 2008: 2nd Tuesday 7:00-8:30pm Last 2007 meeting on Dec. 10 at 7-8:30pm All meetings still at the Wellness Community Website: Visit the SBTF at www.sbtf.org
+	IA : Quad Cities Brain Tumor Support Group
–	IA : Quad Cities Brain Tumor Support Group Contact: Susan Williams Location: Genesis Medical Center – West Campus Borromeo Room Davenport, Iowa Tel: 563-421-1082 Email: williams@genesishealth.com Meeting: Fourth Monday of each month from 6:30 PM to 8 PM
+	MA : Brigham And Womens Brain Tumor Support
–	MA : Brigham And Womens Brain Tumor Support Contact: Nancy Olsen-Daily, RN, MBA Nancy Diperna (co-facilitates) Location: Dana Farber Campus Dana Building 16th Floor Room 1635 44 Binney Street Boston, Massachusetts 02115 Tel: 617-732-6826 Meeting: 12-130 1st Thursday 530-7 3rd Thursday
+	MA : Lahey Clinic Brain Tumor Support Group
–	MA : Lahey Clinic Brain Tumor Support Group Contact: Michele Lucas Location: 41 Mall Road 5th floor, room 5-301 Burlington, Massachusetts Tel: 617-726-1061 Meeting: 1st, 3rd Monday; 7-9 pm
+	MA : Massachusetts General Hospital Brain Tumor Support Group
–	MA : Massachusetts General Hospital Brain Tumor Support Group Contact: Michele Lucas Location: 32 Fruit Street, Yawkey Building, Room 10650 Boston, Massachusetts Tel: 617-726-1061 Meeting: 2nd and 4th Mondays, 12:00 - 1:30 pm
+	MA : Pituitary Tumor Support Group of New England
–	MA : Pituitary Tumor Support Group of New England Contact: Diane Chen at 978.352.9791 Pituitary Tumor Support Group of New England (keeps in touch by phone) Georgetown, MA
+	MA : UMass-Worcester Brain Tumor Support Group
–	MA : UMass-Worcester Brain Tumor Support Group Contact: Dr. Ellen Sharenow Location: Aaron Lazare Medical Research Building, University Campus, 55 Lake Ave North, Conference Room #203, 2nd fl. The Lazare Building is directly across from the hospital. Contact: (508) 334-7595 or ellen.sharenow@umassmemorial.org Meeting: 1st Tuesday of the month from 6:00pm - 7:30pm. No meeting on April 1st and August 5th.
+	NJ : Central New Jersey Brain Tumor Support and Resource Group
–	NJ : Central New Jersey Brain Tumor Support and Resource Group Contact: Stan or Virginia Shrodo (908) 685-0917 Secondary Contact: Patricia Anthony Location: 300 Clinton Ave. North Plainfield, New Jersey 07060 Tel: 732-321-7000 x66785 E-mail: panthony@solarishs.org Meeting: First Thursday of every month Website: www.njbt.org
+	PA : Brain Tumor Support Group Of The Lehigh Valley
–	PA : Brain Tumor Support Group Of The Lehigh Valley Contact: Dolores Fioriglio Location: St. John’s UCC Church 139 N 4th Street P O Box 854 Emmaus, PA Tel: 610-830-0659 E-mail: dfioriglio@enter.net Website: www.lvbraintumor.org Meeting: 2nd Tuesday of Each Month 7:30 PM
+	RI : Rhode Island Brain Tumor Support Group
–	RI : Rhode Island Brain Tumor Support Group Contact: Judy Allenson And Betty Bentley Location: Brown University Biomedical Center 171 Meeting Street Providence, Rhode Island 02906 Tel: 401-789-0126 – Judy Or 401-647-2935 – Betty Meeting: 1st & 3rd Tuesdays 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
+	TN : Memphis Regional Brain Tumor Survivors Group
–	TN : Memphis Regional Brain Tumor Survivors Group Contact: Cherry Welborn Location: 5330 Park Avenue Memphis, TN Tel: 901-757-0806 E-mail: cherrywel@earthlink.net Meeting: First Thursday each month at 6:30
+	TX : Central Texas Support
–	TX : Central Texas Support Contact: Thomas & Joan Lewman Location: The Brain & Spine Center at Brackenridge Hospital (Home of the CyberKnife) 3rd Floor Boardroom 601 E. 15th St Austin, Texas 78701 (512) 324-7000 or via email at RSVP@txbraintumor.org. Meeting: 6:30pm–8:00pm every second Thursday of the month Please RSVP to Thomas & Joan Lewman by Telephone: (512) 636-3015 or (512) 636-1578 Website: www.txbraintumor.org
+	TX : The Houston Area Brain Tumor Network
–	TX : The Houston Area Brain Tumor Network Guest speaker followed by discussion/support group for patients, family and friends Facilitator: Marie Silva, LCSW (713)792-0772 Location: Place…of wellness Mays Clinic Building ACB2.1049 1220 Holcombe Blvd Houston, TX 77030 Website: http://www.mdanderson.org/patients_public/support_programs/ Meeting: 1st Tuesday of the month, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

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One in Five Develop or Harbor Pituitary Tumors

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Disclaimer: PNA does not engage in the practice of medicine. It is not a medical authority, nor does it claim to have medical knowledge. In all cases, PNA recommends that you consult your own physician regarding any course of treatment or medication.