Seattle Dizzy Group

2013 Highlights & Another Great Year Ahead in 2014

January is a time of reflecting on experiences from the past year & considering possibilities for the year ahead.

Seattle Dizzy Group had an amazing 2013 with many exciting changes and accomplishments & 2014 promises to be another great year!

2013 Highlights

• In April, we relocated to a neutral meeting space (Green Lake Library) so that all local balance clinics and vestibular care providers may feel equally comfortable referring patients to Seattle Dizzy Group.  We are really enjoying our new meeting location!

• At our May meeting, we were joined by the new development director of the Vestibular Disorders Association (VEDA) who came to find out about how Seattle Dizzy Group celebrates Balance Awareness Week, including our annual Balance Awareness Walk which we started in 2011.  Seattle Dizzy Group served as an inspiration and model for expanded Balance Awareness Week events across the nation, and there were at least three new Balance Awareness Walks in other cities in 2013.

• In September, we hosted an event in honor of Balance Awareness Week with a walk, lunch, and special guest speaker.  We had a great time at our Walk for Balance around Green Lake and everyone who participated was very enthusiastic about raising awareness for vestibular/balance disorders.  To create interest, we carried balloons, wore Walk for Balance badge stickers, and sported BALANCE wristbands and our newly designed Seattle Dizzy Group logo t-shirts (for additional designs, check out our shop at www.cafepress.com/seattledizzygroup). After the walk, we enjoyed lunch and a presentation about vestibular rehabilitation from Julie Grove, MPT of Cascade Dizziness and Balance PT.  It was an exciting day that hopefully helped to build momentum for the cause.  We received very positive feedback from participants, and we are already looking forward to Balance Awareness Week 2014.

• During Balance Awareness Week, the Seattle Dizzy Group event was also mentioned in a King5 news article featuring Julie Grove MPT and the unique balance training environment she offers at her clinic.

• In October 2013, we celebrated 7 years together as a support group!

• In 2013, we had guest speakers on the topics of Pilates, Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT)/Compensation, and Chiropractic Therapy.

• The Seattle Dizzy Group website and online services were greatly expanded in 2013.  In addition to having a website blog and Facebook page and group, we are now on Twitter, and we also have a MeetUp Group (where members can connect, receive group updates, and RSVP for upcoming meetings and activities).

• Additionally, Seattle Dizzy Group founder/owner/director Cheryl Rowe kept quite busy in 2013 supporting the vestibular community through service and advocacy efforts. She consulted pro bono for VEDA as a member of the committee which developed and recently launched their support group network, and she generously shared with VEDA materials originally developed for Seattle Dizzy Group to be used as a template by new vestibular support groups.  She also submitted to the Social Security Administration comments regarding revising the medical criteria for evaluating vestibular and balance disorders, which will hopefully lead to more people with chronic vestibular and balance disorders being properly and expeditiously approved for disability benefits. (View comments to SSA).

Another Great Year Ahead in 2014

We are excited for the year ahead and hope you will join us and help Seattle Dizzy Group continue to grow, provide much-needed community, and offer FREE support for people living with chronic dizziness and imbalance, in Seattle and beyond.  We plan to continue to expand online resources and we will continue to host monthly in-person support group meetings with at least 3-4 guest speakers on various topics in 2014.  (Our first guest speaker of 2014 will share with us on the topic of “Food and Mood” on Saturday, February 8th).  We hope to expand community outreach and involvement in 2014.  We will also continue to raise awareness about vestibular and balance disorders (including participating in Balance Awareness Week), and we will strive to increase advocacy efforts in 2014.

Seattle Dizzy Group is a self-supporting not-for-profit group that is organized by volunteers and funded through donations.   There are many ways to be involved with the group and we invite members to share their gifts and abilities with us.  We especially appreciate help with meetings and activities (including being a greeter, helping with room set-up and take-down, providing snacks, providing transportation, or hosting a meet-up opportunity, etc.).   If you are interested in helping with the group in any way, please be sure to let us know (email: info@seattledizzygroup.org).

(Any donation amount is appreciated!).

Ways your financial gift helps Seattle Dizzy Group:

• Providing materials, supplies, and snacks for monthly support group meetings.  (Each meeting costs about $25 to host).
• Providing thank you gifts for guest speakers. (As funds allow, we strive to honor speakers with a thank you gift of up to about $25 value).
• Providing administrative support, online services/resources, and website hosting, etc.  (Administrative and online costs are about $200 annually).
• Providing funding for Balance Awareness Week event(s) and other group activities.  (Costs may be about $50-$100 or more depending on activity).

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To give Seattle Dizzy Group a donation of any amount by credit card or PayPal, click the “Donate” button below.

Or, send us a donation directly from your PayPal account to our group email address: info@SeattleDizzyGroup.org

Gifts to Seattle Dizzy Group are not tax deductible.

THANK YOU for your support!

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