About Tayside PMR and GCA Support
Background Information
My
name is Jean Miller and after having had PMR & GCA for 4.5 years and of searching
unsuccessfully on the web and elsewhere for help, support and information,
I set up Tayside PMR & GCA Support in March 2006. Since then we have had support
and encouragement from many people and organisations, including the National
Medical Research Foundation and Dundee Voluntary Action. We are currently
the only Support Group in Scotland, but hope others will be encouraged to
set up similar groups.
Charitable Status
We were granted Charitable Status by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator in February 2007. Scottish Charity Number: SC037780
Members
So far there have been new members at every meeting. We now have about 23
regular attendees but only between 10 and 15 at a meeting because of the instability
of these conditions and medical appointments. Our average attendance is slowly
rising although many have dropped by the wayside, either through deteriorating
health or, happily, because they had recovered from PMR or GCA.
Programme
We meet for only one hour because for many that is long enough. Nor do we
have social outings because not many are able for that. The highlight of our
social calendar is coffee and a mince pie at our December meeting. At the
meetings where there is no speaker we find listening to each other, learning
from each other and encouraging each other very helpful and supportive. We have had several speakers on Coping with Pain, Physiotherapy, and Healthy Eating.
Purpose of the Group
Listening - the primary purpose of our group is to listen to how the sufferers and/or carers are coping with these conditions. The Group find this very helpful. The most common comment we hear at the group is, 'Nobody told me that'. If there is time we then discuss a topic related to our conditions, chosen by the members of the group.
Providing Information - what most members of the group wanted was information about the conditions.
There is very little known about these conditions that helps the sufferer.
There is no known cause and no known cure. Some research has established some
causes but there is no definitive group of causes.
We have found arc (the Arthritis Research Campaign) and Arthritis Care extremely
helpful in providing information for our group. The British Society of Rheumatology
was also helpful in putting me in touch with Professor Baskhar Dasgupta and
his team who are doing research at Southend Hospital. Arc put us in touch
with PMR Support East Anglia. A third support group has been formed in Essex,
the Southend/Essex PMR/GCA Support Group. Both of these Groups have also been
helpful and supportive and share their newsletters with us.
Keeping Hope Alive - we do this by encouraging each other and learning how others cope with the
very varied symptoms.
UK Contacts
We are in contact with nearly 30 people from as far apart as the Isle of Lewis
and Surrey who, either because of distance or disability, are physically unable
to attend. We give them details of support in their region if applicable.
Meetings
The Dundee Parish Church (St. Mary’s) Group meets on the 3rd Tuesday of the
month except January for one hour on the ground floor in the Lounge of Dundee
Parish Church (St. Mary’s) from 11am until midday. Although
we are mainly female we do have male members. All are welcome.
Funding
Thanks to funding from the Big Lottery Fund under the Awards for All programme
we have been able to set up this website . We also receive generous funding from a Charitable Trust for which we are very grateful.
Contact Us
If you would like to discuss setting up a Support Group for PMR and/or GCA,
please telephone 01382 778 596 or send an email to the address listed below:
Disclaimer: please note that this website does not have any official medical authority.
