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 And counting!! Algeria, Denmark, United Kingdom, Spain, Chile, South Africa, Ethiopia, Australia, Trinidad, Sweden, Switzerland, France, Iceland, United Arab Emirates, Serbia, Montenegro, Canada, Italy, Scotland, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Poland, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Jamaica, Iraq, Turkey, Israel, Mexico, Philippines, India, Ireland, Japan, S.Korea, Romania, Russia, Croatia, New Zealand, Netherlands, Nigeria, Germany, Brazil, Venezuela, Greece and of course the U.S.A. These services include medications, treatments, diagnostic testing, local and worldwide transportation to get to these doctors and services. That does not include the $22,550 out of the $25,870 that we received in donations in 2007 that we used for patient services and support. In 2007 $3,320 was our working expenses such as paper, ink, postage and utilities (electricity and computer access) to help our 71,400 patients. So check back often to see this number grow. The mission of the Autoimmune Information Network is to help patients and family cope with the disabling effects of the 149+ known autoimmune diseases. We will attain this through education, public awareness and by helping link people with all available programs and support groups. There are approximately 50 million people with autoimmune diseases. Our goal is to help those effected find the support they need in any way we can now. We don't focus on a cure but rather help people cope with their Autoimmune condition NOW! A.I.N. helps direct patients and families to medication assistance programs, support groups, help with paperwork and applications, even find monetary resources if the need arises. We can help you find doctors that specialize in these diseases and transportation to them. We can act as patient advocates, if the need arises for you. We are recognized and reffered by reputable institutions such as Web MD, NORD (National Organization for Rare Diseases), Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Vanderbilt University, UMDNJ, Cedars Sinai, Clevland Clinic, Hospitals for Special Surgeries New York, St. Judes Hospital, Mt. Sinai, Columbia Presbyterian, Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins, Duke University, U.C.Davis, Seattle Cancer Alliance, Beth Israel just to name a few. As our network grows, so do our resources and knowledge. Contact us. We can help make a difference. We do not ask for postage, membership fees, fees for copying, mailing or distributing information at all, EVER. You would be surprised to know some of the LARGE organizations who are supposed to help you and have millions of dollars every year. Yet despite all this money they do charge for information, their people draw large salaries, but offer little if any help. Chances are their paid staff don't even have the disease their organization covers. THAT'S JUST WRONG !! We do this because it needs to be done and nobody else is doing it with results, without a paycheck!
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By Barbara Yodice, AIN founder. In September of 2000, after two and a half years of misdiagnosis, I learned I had a second autoimmune disease, Myasthenia Gravis (MG). Six months later the third Lupus, and four years later the fourth and fifth autoimmune diseases. It has been an educational and interesting five years that led up to starting this non-profit, A.I.N. Through this journey, I was asked by a friend with with MG "Why are there no support groups for people like us?". Not being able to answer, my husband and I started a local MG support group. After two years we realized that many of the people with MG also had other autoimmune diseases like myself. It seems once you have one, your prone to others as well. So, we started a second support group for people with any autoimmune condition. Running these two groups, my husband and I saw that the struggles these people go through on a daily basis are similar if not the same. Things like finding medication, doctors, assistance programs and just plain information on these conditions is VERY hard to locate. Thats why we started this organization. Unknowingly at the time having the word "Network" in the name has turned out to be more true than we could have ever imagined. We have networked ourselves with so many organizations, knowledgable people, doctors, nurses researchers, resources and information avenues it was a "funny how things happen" to have that word in our name before we even knew what we would really be doing. Thats why this organization we started is so close to my heart, and a light at the end of the tunnel for many people whom thought they had no one to turn to. A.I.N. is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization (Charities Regisration Number CH2627600 and 501(c)3 number 010830256) that was specifically formed to help patients and family members with any of the over 151 autoimmune diseases that are known. We are also a certified humane charity registered with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine PCRM.org CLICK HERE for 1 CLICK HERE for 2 |
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