Association News & Events
Sunday Conversations - June 19, 2022
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- Last Updated: 23 May 2022 23 May 2022
"A whole-person health approach to Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome – Lessons for Post-COVID conditions”
Whole-person health is the term the NIH uses for Integrative medicine approaches.
Presented by Maria Vera Nunez, M.D.
Sunday, June 19, 2022, 4 p.m. ET
This program is being presented jointly with the New Jersey ME/CFS Association. Please join us.
Dr. Maria Vera Nunez has been specializing in the treatment of people living with ME/CFS for more than 20 years, having originally worked with Dr. Nancy Klimas at Nova Southeastern University’s Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine for 7 years. Dr. Vera uses a whole-person health approach to evaluate patients with chronic, multi-system conditions, including ME/CFS and Long COVID. She uses advanced functional medicine testing to personalize treatments. She strives to create a partnership with her patients, considering their preferences and empowering them to acquire skills to support their healing process.
Dr. Vera is a Board-certified Internal Medicine and Integrative Medicine physician, a Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner, and has a Master of Science degree in Medical Informatics. She was an Assistant Professor at Nova Southeastern University’s Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine, a national referral center for ME/CFS cases, for 7 years. Currently, she is an attending physician at the Whole Psychiatry and Brain Recovery Center in Maryland and a Research Assistant Professor at the Medical University of South Carolina.
This is a virtual presentation via Zoom.
Sunday Conversations - May 15, 2022
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- Last Updated: 21 May 2022 21 May 2022
"Fibromyalgia”
Presented by Paul Monach, M.D.
The presentation is specific to Fibromyalgia (FM), but many patients with chronic complex diseases have symptoms or also a diagnosis of FM.
Sunday, May 15, 2022, 4 p.m. ET
Paul Monach, M.D., is Chief of the Rheumatology Section in the Boston VA Healthcare System, and an Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School. He has a PhD in immunology and completed residency and a rheumatology fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) in Boston. He is a member of the Cooperative Studies Program Coordinating Center at Boston VA Healthcare System.
This is a virtual presentation via Zoom.
Video links:
Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLz31KwoUbYrE9Uk71UjIDLGy2v6QVjwcN
Full event: https://youtu.be/cJxJLs1zLWM
Part 1-Fibromyalgia overview: https://youtu.be/PXkznGEg0ak
Part 2-Patient voices: https://youtu.be/IIFwzB-1CJQ
Part 3-Q&A: https://youtu.be/Ej7Ozno4oHo
Sunday Conversations - April 24, 2022
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- Last Updated: 29 April 2022 29 April 2022
"Working with Your Healthcare Provider”
Presented by Alba Azola, M.D.
The presentation is relevant to ME/CFS, Fibromyalgia, Long Covid and Chronic Lyme Disease.
Sunday, April 24, 2022, 4 p.m. ET
Alba Azola, M.D., is Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and Co-director of the PMR Post-Acute COVID-19 Team (JH PACT) Program.
Dr. Azola presented the physician's perspective: how patients can prepare for their visit, especially the initial visit, in a way that is most helpful for the physician to focus on the most important information so that the patient can get the most help from a limited time with the provider. She also discussed issues that providers experience in working with complex, chronic illness.
"Dave" and "Sue", parents of a teen with ME/CFS, shared the story of their challenges in finding and working with numerous providers to try to get help for their child.
Moderator: Karin Dove, MassME Patient Services Volunteer
This is a virtual presentation via Zoom.
Links to video recordings:
Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLz31KwoUbYrGjlOUKA5Yz5dTMBKMDdolR
Full program: https://youtu.be/c7sACMrqsY0
Part 1 - Physician Perspective: https://youtu.be/5m1YadySvwA
Part 2 - Family Perspective: https://youtu.be/IFWMVNchb4g
Part 3 - Q&A: https://youtu.be/ZG3y_cBoVro
Resources for Working with your Healthcare Provider
NEW Art Therapy Group
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- Last Updated: 01 March 2022 01 March 2022
Join us for a series of 5 bi-weekly art therapy classes featuring various creative exercises led by expressive art therapist, Kerry Lang, LMHC. Kerry is a MA Licensed Mental Health Counselor with years of experience leading groups and workshops for those with chronic illness, specifically those with Lyme disease, and more recently Long-COVID and ME/CFS.
These 90-minute sessions will be a mix of fun, creativity, connection, vulnerability, and exploration. No experience with the arts is necessary- we welcome all levels of creative experience!
The group will meet on Zoom every other Thursday from 2:30 - 4:00 P.M.
The first session is Thursday, March 24th.
*Registration is open through March 14 for MassME members. Professional licensing requirements constrain us to offering this program to MA residents only. Class size is limited to 12 participants. There is a $20 suggested donation to cover materials.
Click here for full details and registration information