I thought this Favorites area could use a little expanding. I've been featuring links, but had this idea that occasionally I should feature a person or two. There are many people out there who deserve to have a pat on the back for the hard work they do but they don't have a site on the web so that I can give them a Favorite Link Salute! So, for the month of December, I would like to salute two really great individuals! Jake George and his shoopa "better half", Jan!

First I would like to say that these two are quite a pair! Aside from running the Graves' Disease Support Group in Melbourne, Florida, and being the on-line facilitator for the Graves' Disease Bulletin Board, (Jake is the official one, but we ALL know he couldn't do it without Jan! Right, Jan? :) they make sure they attend the Wednesday night chat sessions. In addition, they open their hearts and phone lines to anyone who needs support for Graves' Disease.

Jake (Achgook) is a Native American who loves to pass along great wisdom from his Grandfather. (I'll tell you, his Grandfather was one smart man!) I wish we all could have the deep faith that Jake exhibits. And I would love to have some of the talent he has for making all people feel welcome. Jan (LadyBug) is a gem! A one-of-a-kind person with a heart of gold! They are fantastic people in their own right, but as a couple, they shine! This is not even to mention their facinating senses of humor and down-to-earth attitudes that clue you in to knowing there is more to these two than meets the eye. :)

I have never had the honor of meeting either of them face to face. I get all my impressions from seeing what they do on-line. If they can show this much caring and concern over the wires, I have no doubt that knowing them in person would only enhance my views. If you have not had the honor of getting to know them, then you have missed out! But all is not lost! Let me link you to where you can get to know them!

The National Graves' Disease Foundation ~ what does it mean? To sum it up, it means Support! Not only is it affiliated with Support Group.Com, but it also provides a support network nationwide - state by state - for personalized face to face help for all of us who are battling this war against Graves' Disease. Although not all states have local groups, the NGDF is open to starting groups where there is a need.

The NGDF is dedicated to increasing the public awareness of Graves' Disease and providing support and information. Established in 1990, the NGDF is the only national, lay, nonprofit, educational organization open exclusively to people with Graves' Disease, their families, friends and health care professionals. The NGDF, in the spirit of education and support, also hosts National Conventions. There is a fee to join, but as a non-profit organization, it is used to further the cause as well as enable the foundation to keeps it's members informed through it's regular newsletters.

Nancy Patterson heads the foundation as Executive Director. Representatives of all related disciplines are included on the Medical and Advisory board: Endocrinology, Surgery, Nursing, Opthalmology, Dermatology, Psychiatry, Psychology, Pharmacology, Internal Medicine, Family Practice and Graves' Disease patients. I wish I could list all the people who are a part of this support system. Each one of them deserves a salute of their own!

So, to all of you who are hard at work keeping this support system going and growing, this salute is for you!

What can I tell you about Mary Shomon? Oh My! So much stuff that I would run out of space! Mary, a "survivor" of Hashimoto's Disease, apparently decided on the same quest as I - to inform and teach the public about these diseases. But Mary took this idea and advanced it 50 times over what I have managed to accomplish! I am amazed at her strength and intestinal fortitude! She is one of the most caring people around! She has harnessed her strength, intellingence, and fantastic sense of humor to create this exceptional Thyroid Disease Web Site at The Mining Company!

In addition to authoring one of the most informative Thyroid Disease Web Sites you'll find on the Internet, she is also publishing a Newsletter that is free for the asking! "Sticking Out Our Necks" is chockful of the latest news about the many facets of Thyroid Diseases. In it you will find news, news alerts, featured sites, resources, top docs, networking, reader forum, and even news on how she is doing! These are just some of the features she covers. She is always striving to bring you the best information available - both on and off the Web!

When you visit this site, be prepared to learn! The information she provides is very detailed and presented so well that you will find yourself wanting to read everything! When you get there, be certain to bookmark! You cannot possibly read it all in one visit!

So, Mary Shomon! This Salute Is For You!

I have chosen Dianne's Page as my favorite for August & September, not because we have become good e-friends, or because she's played some "hum-dinger pranks" on me and my site (which she has!). Long before our fun "e-feud" began, I had chosen Dianne's site to feature in August. The September addition is because I want to make sure no one has missed it! It is one of the most important places to visit on the web if you have Graves' Disease. With a few mega-bytes of space, much time, and caring, what she has managed to accomplish is outstanding! So, Dianne, this Salute is for you!

Dianne's Page is about the personal side of having GD and GD Eye Disease. She has both. Her page is filled with stories of others who have GD or both. Up until I found her site, I felt lost and very alone with this disease. What a difference it made for me to realize, finally and very gratefully, that I was far from alone! If you have GD or any thyroid problem, you need to read these stories. They are the best therapy you could get anywhere on the Internet! And they're free!

I would like to thank everyone who gave the time and effort to write their stories for her site! You are all very courageous and caring people! And GD Warriors to the Max! Thank you!

As the first in hopefully a long string of Favorite Links for this site, I would like to salute Support Group First! If it were not for finding this site and finding the Graves' Disease Support Group, I might not have been able to deal with my illness. Thanks to all the great people there!

Support-Group.Com offers support for a multitude of illnesses from A to Z. No matter what type of illness is getting you down, Support Group probably has the support you need. If you haven't been there before, be sure to go now! It could make the biggest difference between going it alone or feeling you aren't alone!