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How is a support group born?

With a lot of labor pains and no spinal blocks! In many cases, a group of people dealing with the same issues will form a loose group, getting together to provide emotional support, to net­work and exchange information.

Most often there is one person that seems to get things going. Eventually, it becomes a larger group and before you know it, a formal support group has been formed, with regular meeting times and locations.

As groups grow, so do their func­tions. Many groups may go a step further by seeking ways to actively participate in commu­nity education—offering workshops, lectures and outreach efforts. Patient education is a major function of support groups.

As the group gathers steam and someone's living room no longer serves, the gathering place may be switched from a home to a hospi­tal or church. This provides some stability, and in certain circumstances, lends credibility to the group.

A hospital-sanctioned meeting makes for a better press release, but be aware that, on rare occasions, meetings might be attended by staff members who may monitor the kinds of topics being discussed and may even try to pro­mote services offered at the facility.