UK TM Society: News from Europe
Lew Gray

2006 was a very good year for the UK TM Society.  The Support Groups in Telford, Scotland, London and Poole continued to meet successfully with good turnouts, and new groups are starting up in Berkshire, Southwest and Manchester.  Still many members have never been able to attend a support group and there are more areas of the country we want to cover.

In October the Poole Group held our first meeting with the local neurologist, Dr. Hillier, who spoke and answered lots of questions from members.  The question and answer session is available in the Poole Minutes.  You can also view Dr. Hillier’s slides.  Both are available on our web site: www.myelitis.org.uk – go to the Support Group link and then to Poole Minutes.

Dr. Douglas Kerr, the Director of the Johns Hopkins TM Center has agreed to visit London.  We have invited a couple of eminent British neurologists to join him to speak to us at our first-ever UK TM Conference.  The event is schedule for Saturday 13th October 2007.  We also hope to have funds available to assist members with travel costs to London.  More details will be coming soon by email to all European members; so please keep your email address up to date!

In addition to a superb Committee and a close-knit group of local leaders in UK, we also are lucky to have many enthusiastic members who have organised fundraising events, including Sally’s Irish Night (over £1100!), choral concert in Westminster, sponsored runs in Gateshead, London and Brighton, and corporate donations.

Online donations are now working thanks to Jim Lubin’s excellent work.  Members anywhere in Europe can donate to TMS using credit cards.  These donations will help us with costs of TMA Journal and Newsletter distribution, the costs of the 2007 Conference, as well as other programs and activities.  The donation is in UK pounds sterling, but your credit card company will convert it to Euros automatically.  If you want to help, please go to www.myelitis.org.uk and click on ‘Make a Donation.’

Following the successful start-up of the German TM Support Group, it is good to see Dan Bucataru is trying to start a Romanian Group.  We still need local translators, especially in Italy, Spain and Portugal.

Any members with Devic’s Disease (Neuromyelitis Optica or NMO) should check out Gayle’s Place at www.devic.org.uk 

At least three kids from UK and one from Denmark are attending the Victory Junction Gang Camp TMA Family Week in August in North Carolina USA.  We know that they will have an excellent time!

Lew Gray
UK TM Society
lewgray@blueyonder.co.uk