South Florida’s First Support Group for Thyroid Cancer Survivors Begins Meeting

The first support group for thyroid cancer survivors in the Fort Lauderdale and Miami area of Florida meets on the last Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Weston Regional Health Park, Room 102A, 2300 North Commerce Parkway, Weston, Florida. The next meetings will take place on January 25 and February 22. The facilitators are Marla Friedman and Joan Axthelm.

Organized by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc., the ThyCa South Florida support group is free and open to all thyroid cancer survivors and their families and friends.

The free support group welcomes people at all stages of testing, treatment, and follow-up for thyroid cancer. For more information, contact Marla Friedman or Joan Axthelm by e-mail to South-FL@thyca.org.

Support groups for thyroid cancer survivors are organized across the United States by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc. The ThyCa web site lists all the support group meeting dates and locations. ThyCa is a nonprofit, volunteer organization providing person-to-person and e-mail support groups, a free low-iodine cookbook, a free newsletter, and other educational services and resources to thyroid cancer survivors and their families at no charge.

For more information about ThyCa’s free support services and annual conference, visit the web site atwww.thyca.org, call toll-free 1-877-588-7904, write PO Box 1545, New York, NY 10159-1545, or e-mail tothyca@thyca.org.

Saturday, January 11, from 10 a.m. to Noon
FREE

Matthew Kane, M.D., Endocrinologist at Chester County Hospital, will speak and answer questions about thyroid cancer treatment on Saturday, January 11, from 10 a.m. to noon at the ThyCa support group meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The meeting takes place at the Wellness Community of Philadelphia, The Suzanne Morgan Center at Ridgeland, Chamouix Drive West, Fairmount Park, Philadelphia.

This free Ask a Doctor program is open to people at all stages of testing, treatment, and follow-up for thyroid cancer, as well as their families and friends.

For more information, contact Evelyn Gross, the support group facilitator, by e-mail atPhilly@thyca.org.

ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc. , is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization providing local and e-mail support groups, a downloadable low-iodine cookbook, an online newsletter, and other educational services and resources to thyroid cancer survivors and their families at no charge. For more information about thyroid cancer and ThyCa’s support services and annual conference, visit the web site atwww.thyca.org, write PO Box 1545, New York, NY 10159-1545, or e-mail tothyca@thyca.org.

Canton, Ohio’s first support group for thyroid cancer survivors meets the second Saturday each month from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the Heritage House Downstairs Party Room, 200 High Avenue SW, Canton, Ohio. The facilitator is Linda Donaldson.

Organized by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc., the ThyCa Canton support group is free and open to all thyroid cancer survivors and their families and friends.

The free support group welcomes people at all stages of testing, treatment, and follow-up for thyroid cancer.

For more information, contact Linda Donaldson by e-mail at canton-oh@thyca.org.
Support groups for thyroid cancer survivors are organized across the United States by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc. The ThyCa web site lists support group meeting dates and locations.

ThyCa is a nonprofit, volunteer organization providing person-to-person and e-mail support groups, a free low-iodine cookbook, a free newsletter, and other educational services and resources to thyroid cancer survivors and their families at no charge.

For more information about ThyCa’s free support services and its next annual conference, visit the web site at www.thyca.org, write PO Box 1545, New York, NY 10159-1545, or e-mail to thyca@thyca.org.

The first support group for thyroid cancer survivors in the Manitowoc/Two Rivers area of Wisconsin will meet on the second Wednesday each month from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the American Red Cross Building’s small classroom at 205 North 8th Street, Manitowoc, Wisconsin. The group will hold its first meeting Wednesday, February 12, 2003. The facilitators are Tina Chappell and Sharon Clement.

Organized by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc., the ThyCa Manitowoc/Two Rivers support group is free and open to all thyroid cancer survivors and their families and friends.

The free support group welcomes people at all stages of testing, treatment, and follow-up for thyroid cancer. For more information, contact Tina Chappell or Sharon Clement by e-mail at Manitowoc-WI@thyca.org.

ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Assocation, Inc., is pleased to announce five new members of its volunteer Board of Directors.

Alan Braunstein of Getzville, New York, facilitates the ThyCa Buffalo Support Group for thyroid cancer survivors and caregivers and coordinates ThyCa’s Toll-Free Number.
Sara Gorrell Brenner of Arlington, Virginia, facilitates the ThyCa Northern Virginia Support Group and was Coordinator of the 2002 Capital Area Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Workshop, which had more than 90 participants.
Evelyn Gross of Narberth, Pennsylvania, facilitates the ThyCa Philadelphia Support Group and is a volunteer for ThyCa’s Person-to Person Network as well as the Toll-Free Number.
Elizabeth Irion of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, facilitates the ThyCa Central Pennsylvania Support Group and one of the AOL Thyroid Cancer Mutual Support Groups, where thyroid cancer survivors first came together over the Internet starting in 1995.
Peggy Melton of Parker, Texas, facilitates the ThyCa Dallas, Support Group and was registrar for ThyCa’s recent international conference weekend, which had more than 360 participants.

Continuing on the board are Ric Blake, Londonderry, New Hampshire; Gary Bloom, Board Chair, Olney, Maryland; Karen Ferguson, Assistant Chair, Charlotte, North Carolina; Joni Eskenazi, Fundraising Chair, Mercer Island, Washington; Ron Grafman, Treasurer, Germantown, Maryland; Leah Guljord, Recording Secretary, West Melbourne, Florida; Melanie Reiser, New York, New York; Betty Solbjor, Webmistress, Waltham, Massachusetts; Megan Stendebach, Conference Coordinator, San Antonio, Texas; and Cherry Wunderlich, Corresponding Secretary, Bethesda, Maryland.

ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc.s an all-volunteer, nonprofit 501( c)(3) organization that provides free support services to thyroid cancer survivors and families.

Services include local and e-mail support groups, an award-winning educational web site, the Person-to-Person Network, an online newsletter, a low-iodine cookbook downloadable from the web site, annual conference and regional workshops. ThyCa’s 6th International Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference will take place in Houston, Texas, October 24-26, 2003.

Details about ThyCa’s support services and resources are available on the ThyCa web site, toll free at 1-877-588-7904, and by e-mail at thyca@thyca.org.

Released by: ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc.
Web site: www.thyca.org
E-mail: thyca@thyca.org
Contact for Southern Connecticut Support Group
Jaime Toth at e-mail: Southern-CT@thyca.org

Connecticut’s first support group for thyroid cancer survivors meets the third Saturday each month from 10 to 11:30 a.m. . at the Stratford Library in the Boardroom (Lower Level), 2203 Main Street, Stratford Connecticut. The group will hold its first meeting Saturday, September 21, 2002.

Organized by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc., the ThyCa Southern Connecticut support group is free and open to all thyroid cancer survivors and their families and friends.

The group welcomes people at all stages of testing, treatment, and follow-up for thyroid cancer. For more information, contact Jaime Toth by e-mail at Southern-CT@thyca.org

Support groups for thyroid cancer survivors are organized across the United States by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc. The ThyCa web site lists support group meeting dates and locations. ThyCa is a nonprofit, volunteer organization providing person-to-person and e-mail support groups, a free low-iodine cookbook, a free newsletter, and other educational services and resources to thyroid cancer survivors and their families at no charge.

Thyroid cancer survivors and families are also invited to ThyCa’s 5th International Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference October 11-13 in Los Angeles, California. Already thirty leading physicians from medical centers around the country are confirmed as speakers. Other specialists as well as long-term survivors and caregivers will also lead workshops and roundtables.

For more information about the ThyCa Conference and ThyCa’s free support services, visit the web site atwww.thyca.org, write PO Box 1545, New York, NY 10159-1545, or e-mail to thyca@thyca.org.

In order to encourage new Research Fund donors to ThyCa; Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc., one of our members has generously offered to donate $10 for every donation made to ThyCa, regardless of the amount, for thyroid cancer research, up to a cumulative total of $1,000.

This is an anonymous and extremely generous offer that was made because many of us don’t have employers who match charitable donations. ThyCa began as a service organization, and we have expanded our efforts to fund research into thyroid cancer, something urgently needed and important to all of us.

Like other health-related organizations, we look to our community of members to help us in this effort. Each of us knows the trauma of the diagnosis, the complexities of treatment and testing, and the need for lifelong monitoring. We need to find answers to many unanswered questions! We need to help ourselves!

We need your help! Help make your $10 donation become $20. Help us turn
$1,000 into $2,000.

To donate, go to http://www.thyca.org/donations.htm. Please designate your contribution to this fundraising drive with “matching fund drive” in the check memo field.

If you have any questions, e-mail to thyca@thyca.org. Or for more information, visit the web site atwww.thyca.org. Thank you!

Released by: ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc.
Web site: www.thyca.org
E-mail: thyca@thyca.orgthyca@thyca.org
Contact for Troy Support Group:
Gwynne Bambach at Troy-MI@thyca.orgTroy-MI@thyca.org

Michigan’s second support group for thyroid cancer survivors meets the third Wednesday each month from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Panera Bread, Troy Commons, 823 Beaver Road, Troy, Michigan.

Organized by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc., the ThyCa Troy support group is free and open to all thyroid cancer survivors and their families and friends.

The group welcomes people at all stages of testing, treatment, and follow-up for thyroid cancer. For more information, contact Gwynne Bambach by e-mail at Troy-MI@thyca.org.

Thyroid cancer survivors and families are also invited to ThyCa’s 5th International Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference October 11-13 in Los Angeles, California, October 11-13. Already 32 leading physicians from medical centers around the country are confirmed as speakers. Other specialists as well as long-term survivors and caregivers will also lead workshops and roundtables.

For more information about the ThyCa Conference and ThyCa’s free support services, visit the web site atwww.thyca.org, write PO Box 1545, New York, NY 10159-1545, or e-mail to thyca@thyca.org.

Physicians, Mental Health Professionals, Survivors, and Caregivers Featured

The 5th International Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference will take place October 11-13, 2002, at the Los Angeles Athletic Club, 431 West 7th Street, Los Angeles, California.

Sponsored by the national nonprofit organization ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc., this educational and supportive conference offers sessions for people newly diagnosed with thyroid cancer, survivors of many years, and their family members.

Twenty-seven prominent physicians involved in thyroid cancer care and research will headline the agenda. Representing the many specialties involved in thyroid cancer care, including endocrinology, surgery, pathology, and nuclear medicine, these physicians will address issues ranging from diagnosis and treatment to research advances and future trends in thyroid cancer care.

Over 50 sessions will offer information for people at all stages of testing, treatment, and followup for all types of thyroid cancer, including papillary, follicular, medullary, and anaplastic, as well as the variants.

An informal, give-and-take format will give participants the chance for in-depth discussion of issues related to thyroid cancer care.

Workshops will also focus on coping with the emotional and practical impacts of thyroid cancer, self-care, well-being, health insurance and employment issues, as well as caregivers’ needs and the perspectives of long-term thyroid cancer survivors.

Registration material and conference details are available on ThyCa’s web site. For more information, e-mail to thyca@thyca.org or visit the web site at www.thyca.org.

Released by: ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc.
Web site: www.thyca.org
Media Contact: Tracey Crary or Janelle Waslaski at TwinCities@thyca.org
E-mail: TwinCities@thyca.org
Address: ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc.
PO Box 1545, New York, NY 10159-1545
Toll-Free Survivors’ Information Number: 877-588-7904
E-mail: gthyca@thyca.org

Minnesota’s first support group for thyroid cancer survivors will hold its first meeting Saturday, June 15, at 10 a.m. in Edina, Minn. The group meets from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. the third Saturday of each month.

Organized by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc., the ThyCa Twin Cities support group is free and open to all thyroid cancer survivors and their families and friends.

ThyCa Twin Cities meets at Hennepin County Southdale Library, 7001 York Ave. South, Edina, Minn. For more information, contact Tracey Crary or Janelle Waslaski by e-mail at TwinCities@thyca.org.

Support groups for thyroid cancer survivors are organized across the United States by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc. ThyCa is a nonprofit, volunteer organization providing person-to-person and e-mail support groups, a free low-iodine cookbook, a free newsletter, and other educational services and resources to thyroid cancer survivors and their families at no charge.

ThyCa’s 5th International Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference takes place in Los Angeles, California, October 11-13. Already 26 leading physicians from around the country are confirmed as speakers.

For more information, call ThyCa toll-free 877-588-7904, write PO Box 1545, New York, NY 10159-1545, e-mail to thyca@thyca.org, or visit the web site at www.thyca.org