Important Information About The Transverse Myelitis Association Membership Directory

Beginning with the publication of the next TMA membership directory, if you would like to receive the directory, you must be willing to have your name and contact information listed. Those who have designated that they do not want to be listed in the directory will no longer receive one. The purpose of the directory is to assist our members in finding each other in their local communities, states and countries. As our membership is small and widely scattered around the globe, the directory serves as a way to facilitate the local or regional sharing of information and support. The more people who are willing to be listed in the directory to make themselves available to share information and support, the greater is the value of the directory for our members. As the directory is becoming more and more expensive to print and mail, we want to ensure that it maintains this value into the future.

It is the expressed policy of the TMA not to share this information for any commercial purposes. The vast majority of our members are listed in the directory. This designation was made when you first completed the membership form on www.myelitis.org or when the original email or telephone contact with the Association was made. If you are not currently listed in the directory, and would like to change your designation so that you can continue to receive the directory, please call (614)766-1806 or send an email to ssiegel[AT SIGN]myelitis.org requesting that your contact information be listed.

This would also be a good time to check the directory to be sure that your current information is accurate. If your phone number or email address has changed, please notify us. Your membership information will be updated. When you send us any changes, please include all of your information so your membership listing can be easily found and the changes identified.

In addition to receiving the directory, another important benefit of being listed in the directory is having access to local support groups. Over the past several years, our local support groups have been developing around the country and around the world. If you are not listed in the membership directory, we assume that you do not want to be contacted. We do not provide your information to anyone, including the support group leaders who are currently operating in and around your area, or to those who will establish groups in your area in the future.

The membership directory will no longer be mailed with a newsletter publication. The TMA is unable to receive a bulk not-for-profit discount on any mailings that weigh more than 16 ounces. The increasing size of the directories and the newsletters and the substantial difference in postage costs necessitate that we send the directory as a separate mailing. We will still attempt to publish a new directory annually.

If you are not currently listed, please consider being listed in the directory. We appreciate the willingness of so many of you to make yourselves available to assist others in your communities, states and countries.