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This e-mail header will disappear when we reach our target goal of 250
new
--
memberships.
As of March 5 we have received 41 New Memberships!
We need 209 New Memberships to Reach our Goal of 250!
The Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Association owns and operates this list
at
no cost to you, yet at significant cost to operate. We would like to
continue providing this service and more free of charge - but we need
your
help! As of 3/1/2002, only 8 percent of the participants in our Online
Community program actually support PCOSA through annual membership dues.
As
a
result,
we are resorting to use of this header for a limited period of time to
promote membership in PCOSA. When we reach our goal, we will remove
this
header.
If you have not already done so, please join the PCOSA as a full member
by
paying your $40 annual membership dues. Please visit -
http://www.pcosupport.org/membership/gen_app.php - and join now!
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We are really moving forward, now at 41 new PCOSA Memberships. We have
only 209 more to go until we can remove the header. We welcome you who
are
new members to the Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Association and thank you
for
your help.
For those of you who have not yet become members because you are unsure
about what the PCOSA does, and what we have accomplished so far, here is
a
nutshell history.
The History of the PCOSA!
It all started when a few people in the alt.infertility newsgroup
noticed
that
several women had PCOS. The first e-mail list was created on February
14,
1996.
At this time the list was administered manually. May 3, 1996 the list
was
temporarily
stopped while it changed moderators to Mary Clark (currently the Chair
of
the PCOSA
Board of Directors). Mary implemented the first automated list server
that
her ISP had
made available. The list resumed operations on May 19, 1996.
July 19, 1996
Mary wrote "Would you believe that I just counted and there
are 163 of us? "
August 28, 1996
The first mention or formal organization was made by a list member :
"Does anyone have any ideas on how to get some sort of PCO movement
going?
I think we should all band together and make it so insurance covers
electrolysis for PCO sufferers. How would a person go about getting
this
started? Everytime I think about how much of our condition isn't covered
(or even recognized) I get so damn mad. I'd like to change this, but I
don't know where to start."
September 2, 1996
Christine Gray (now Christine Gray-DeZarn - the current CEO) sent this
message:
From: Christine GraySubject: Re: PCO lobby
Date: Mon, 2 Sep 1996
16:08:35 -0400
In a message dated 96-08-28 21:31:15 EDT, you write:
<< I also thought of this a few days ago. Could we start a non-profit
research foundation to lobby for better insurance coverage and also
provide funding for PCO and PCO related research? I realize that this
isn't cancer we're talking about but it does effect a large part of the
female population and has major impact on the quality of our lives,
especially for those who are dealing with infertility. >>
Great idea! I wonder if we could channel that through RESOLVE instead of
reinventing the wheel, though. RESOLVE is already lobbying for
infertility
coverage in general, aren't they?-Christine G.
Christine Gray DeZarn polled the various groups to see if there was any
interest in putting together a conference. Based on the results of that
initial survey, the PCOSA inaugural conference was held in Baltimore,
Maryland, May 16-18, 1997. Over 100 women and health care professionals
were
in attendance. (The PCOSA will hold its 5th PCOSupport International
Conference
in Minneapolis, Minnesota, May 30-June 1, 2002).
Other accomplishments of the PCOSA include:
* Creation of PCOTeen - a division of the PCOSA that supports teens and
young women with PCOS.
* Creation of PCOLists - A single place to find many support lists on
different topics relating to PCOS.
* Facilitation of print media coverage including: Woman's Day, NewsWeek,
Ladies Home Journal, the Anne Landers Column, and newspapers including
the
Washington Post, Chicago Tribune and numerous others.
* Facilitation of broadcast media coverage including: Dateline, The
Leeza
Show,
and many local news and radio broadcasts.
* A website (http://www.pcosupport.org) containing complimentary information
and
news
about the latest advances in PCOS research, topical content, and
resource
kits.
* Facilitation of the start-up and development of many chapters across
the
United
States to support women with PCOS locally.
* Assistance and collaboration with global PCOS Support organizations
through
initiation of the "PCOS Coalition".
* Creation and distribution of educational materials, pamphlets,
brochures.
* Annual Conference with expert scientific programming as well as social
opportunities
* Regional symposia throughout the year.
* Online Message Boards in collaboration with OBGYN.net
* Online chats on PCOS-relevant topics.
* Educational Training on PCOSA for Health Providers.
* Collaboration with the American Association of Clinical
Endocrinologists
to
facilitate education and appropriate patient referral programs.
* Participation in medical professional conferences such as the American
Society of Reproductive Medicine, Endocrine Society, and other relevant
professional organizations to make physicians aware of PCOS and of PCOSA
patient support resources.
If you have not already done so, please join PCOSA today and participate
fully in
our movement to make the world aware of PCOS, and to educate both
patients
and doctors in need of accurate information and treatment options.
http://www.pcosupport.org/membership/gen_app.php
Thank you!
--
Email always welcome: sonnet@pcosupport.org
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