“Believe you can and you’re halfway there”. Theodore Roosevelt

I wanted to reach out during this time to let you all know I am thinking of you. We are wondering how you are all doing and whether you have received Botox or other treatments in the past few months. In addition, please let us know any other concerns so that we can consider addressing them in future online meetings.

I have scheduled a Zoom Support Group Meeting to have an online meeting instead of in-person support group meetings due to COVID 19 and the variant that is prevalent in Georgia at this time. It is scheduled for September 25th, 2021 at 10:00 am to approximately noon. I hope to resume in person meetings when possible. 

Dear Atlanta Support Group:
“Believe you can and you’re halfway there”. Theodore Roosevelt
I wanted to reach out during this time to let you all know I am thinking of you. We are wondering how you are all doing and whether you have received Botox or other treatments in the past few months. In addition, please let us know any other concerns so that we can consider addressing them in future online meetings.
I have scheduled a Zoom Support Group Meeting to have an online meeting instead of in-person support group meetings due to COVID 19 and the variant that is prevalent in Georgia at this time. It is scheduled for September 25th, 2021 at 10:00 am to approximately noon. I hope to resume in person meetings when possible. 

For the meeting on the 25th we are so fortunate to have Dr. Jeanie Hatcher who will speak to our group. Dr. Hatcher joined Emory in 2014 after completing a fellowship in laryngology and care of the professional voice in San Antonio, Texas. Since arriving at Emory, she has been integral in offering open surgical, endoscopic and office-based procedures for treating patients with complex upper airway disorders. She has been an invited speaker at several national meetings and has written multiple peer-review articles and book chapters. She specializes in laryngology and taking care of patients with voice, airway, and swallowing disorders.

As always Charlie Reavis will be with us to provide updates on the National Spasmodic Dysphonia Association and I encourage you all to review the website if you haven’t already as some changes have been made. I am happy to say that we think of the NSDA as our organization as a group and that we all participate in in making it the best organization for our disorder that is possible. We are all the NSDA! Please feel free to donate and become a member as it helps fund research!! Here is the website: https://dysphonia.org/

The members of our support group as a team are honored to have received 2021 Midge Kovacs Awareness Award. We worked hard this past year to support the NSDA and hope to continue to do so in the years ahead!
We are sad that Cindi McCollough had to step down as co-leader for personal reasons. We will hope she can continue to join us in our meetings!

I had some thoughts about ways to lift our spirits and found this online to share:

I realized this past week that I have become very ungrateful. The clues? I found myself complaining, criticizing others and feeling complacent. I am not sure when my bad attitude began, but I do know that I can’t let the evil and negativity of the world crowd out my joy, peace and gratitude. To counteract my stinkin’ thinkin’, I will be doing three things this week: 

1. Making a Gratitude List-I will be writing a list of things I am thankful for each day in my journal. If you would like to join me and need a jumpstart, start with little things we take for granted. 

2. Empathizing with Others-I will be putting myself in others shoes this week–the cashier at the grocery store, the harried mom at the bank, my own family. I will be thinking about what I can say to encourage and appreciate these people, and bring a little joy to their lives. 

3. Writing Three Thank You Notes-I have an entire basket of note cards just waiting to be used and mailed, so this week I am taking action. I plan to write some encouragement and appreciation to at least three of my friends.”

If you haven’t used Zoom, I and Kimberly Kuman the director of the NSDA. can provide you with instructions and assistance to help you get online to attend the meeting. We will resume in person meetings when scientifically based medical advice provides safe guidelines. 

Please let us know if you would be available to participate in a meeting online by September 15th or just register! Thank you so much!

Joining is easy! Register HERE
You’ll receive a confirmation email containing a link to join the meeting at its scheduled time.

WHEN | Saturday, September 25, 2021

TIME | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET
Sign-in a few minutes prior to the meeting to make sure video and audio is working properly.

Our thoughts are with you, please stay safe!
I hope to hear from you soon!
Ilene Cooper, 770 833 7318, ilenelcooper@gmail.com