Support Group Locations and
Meeting Schedules
Contents
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Massachusetts |
Rhode Island |
These free programs provide an opportunity for people with asthma and allergies (and/or family members parents, and caregivers) to hear speakers, ask questions, learn more about managing asthma and allergies in "the real world," and share ideas and strategies in a small group.
Each program has a physician advisor and a volunteer leader who together plan topics of interest. They meet in a variety of community locations, including medical centers, doctors' offices and schools. The locations of these programs are listed below. For a chronological list of the programs planned, see Calendar Of Events.
To start an educational support program in your community, call us toll free at 1-877-2-ASTHMA. Most groups meet September through May.
CURRENT LISTINGS
Please send us your e-mail address and where you live, so that we may notify you of the upcoming meetings. Send it to: aafane@aafane.org.
Call the office if you have questions. 781-444-7778. Updates will be posted on this website regularly.
All programs are free and open to the public. All groups meet from
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm unless otherwise noted.
For further information, call AAFA New England, 781-444-7778, toll free
1-877-2-ASTHMA, or the local contacts listed below.
MASSACHUSETTS
NORTHWEST SUBURBAN
Meets
at 7:00 p.m. Beth Israel and Children’s
Directions:
Rt. 128, take exit 31B (“Bedford, Rts. 4 & 225”). Get in
right lane to make “Jug handle” U-turn, then turn into parking
lot.
Medical Advisor: Anahita Dioun, MD
Feb. 13 Roundtable discussion: "What would YOU do?"
Share how you handle various "real life" situations that confront you
or members of your family. What are your strengths and weaknesses in confronting
day-to-day challenges? What do you need to help your children learn so they can be
independent and safe?
March
12
Speaker: psychologist Jennifer LeBovidge, Ph.D., Children's Hospital,
Dr. LeBovidge specializes in working with families and children with eczema and food allergies.
April 9 “Food Allergy Friendly Cooking: Ask the Chef”
Speaker: Margaret Kyle
Get some great tips on cooking and baking for families with food allergies from a trained chef,
cooking teacher, and parent of a food-allergic child. Learn how to make safe and effective
substitutions for ingredients in baked goods and classic family dishes, and expand your
repertoire of delicious recipes. There will be lots of time for questions and discussion.
May 14 "Food Allergies at School: How to Plan for Your Child's IHCP and Partner with
School Personnel to Maximize Results""
Speaker: Jan Hanson, M.A., parent advocate and school consultant, founder of
Educating for Food Allergies, LLC
FOOD ALLERGY
Meets at 7:00 p.m. Pediatric Specialists,
Leaders: Pat Mulligan, Patricia Bates
Medical Advisor: Donald Accetta, MD
Jan. 19 "Ask the Allergist"
Bring your questions for Donald Accetta, MD, the egroup's Medical Advisor. Get some "quality
time" to go over common concerns such s allergy testing and food challenges or how to react
in an emergency.
March
15 "Managing Food Allergies at School"
Speaker: Linda Mealey, RN, Elementary School Nurse
Learn about school policies and procedures, what options are appropriate as children get older,
and how to work with your school nurse to develop an Individual Health Care Plan for
your child.
May 17 "You Can't Be Too Careful" - Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Awareness Evening
Invite babysitters, friends, family members and others to learn how to prevent and handle
severe allergic reactions. Bring your questions and concerns.
Speakers: Allergist Deborah Accetta Pederson, MD and Tricia Bates, RD, Registered
Dietitian and support group leader.
ALLERGY & ASTHMA SUPPORT GROUP
Route 16 East
(
Leader:
Cindy Aswad
Medical
Advisor:
Dates and topics for 2012 are still being confirmed. Check back or call to get on the e-mail list to receive meeting announcements. Here are the topics we covered last season:
Feb. 7 Roundtable discussion: “What Would YOU Do?"
How do you handle "real life" situations that come up in your family? We'll have a
few scenarios prepared to start off the conversation. Bring your own challenges for
help brainstorming and strategizing.
March 13 "Eating Out with Food Allergies"
Speaker: Pediatric allergist Michael Pistiner, MD, Harvard Vanguard Medical
Associates, author of Everyday Cool with Food Allergies
Speaker: Wayne Shreffler, MD, PhD, Director of the Food Allergy Center and
Section Chief, Pediatric Allergy & Immunology, Mass. General Hospital.
Learn about current research using anti-IgE, herbal, and other immunotherapy
approaches to improving or eliminating food allergies, and a new peanut allergy desensitization study at MGH.
Asthma
Ayer, Ma
Meets at
Leader: Ruth Lovett Smith
Medical
Advisor: Jordan E. Scott, MD
Dates and topics for 2012 are still being confirmed. Check back or call to get on the e-mail list to receive meeting announcements. Here are the topics we covered last season:
Sept. 27 "Food Allergy Update: What's New in Research and Prevention?"
Speaker: Allergist Jordan Scott, MD Learn about the latest
developments in the field of food allergy, and what you can do
to prevent reactions and emergencies. Bring your questions for the
group's Medical Advisor.
Oct. 25 Food Allergy at school: “How to work well with your school
nurse to create a school health care plan for your child,”
Speaker: Phyllis Lang, RN, NCSN, a veteran school nurse who recently
retired from her position as the nursing coordinator of the Groton-
Dunstable Regional School District, where she worked closely with
parents of children with food allergies
Calendar Directions go to top of page
Cape Cod Asthma & Allergy Group
Food allergy support group meets at 4:00 p.m. on the
last Monday of the month.
Call 508-362-0099 to confirm dates and topics.
FOOD ALLERGY GROUP
of the
Meets at
Leaders: Cindy Blonder, Denise Orlando
Medical Advisor: James MacLean
Dates and topics for 2012 are still being confirmed. Check back or call to get on the e-mail list to receive meeting announcements. Here are the topics we covered last season:
Feb. 15 Roundtable discussion: "Meeting the Challenges of Food Allergies in 2012"
March 21 "Finding a Balance in Coping with Food Allergies: Stress Management for Parents
and Caregivers"
Psychologist Julie Breskin, Ph.D. will give a presentation and lead a discussion of
emotional issues faced by children and families with food allergies.
April
25
"Eating
Out with Food Allergies"
Bring kids ages 10 and older to
participate in learning about
staying safe when eating in
restaurants and other places
outside the home. Discuss menu
reading, telling
restaurant
staff about your allergies,
questions to ask the waitstaff,
manager or chef,
and more.
Speaker: allergist Cristina
Palumbo, MD
How
do symptoms and strategies for
preventing reactions change as
allergic children
move through different ages and
stages? What re the considerations
for testing and treating
infants, toddlers, children and teens? How do we know if an allergy is "real" or if it has been
outgrown? These re some of the topics Dr. Palumbo will address in the first portion of the
meeting. Bring your own concerns; there will be lots of time for questions and discussion.
PIONEER VALLEY FOOD ALLERGY SUPPORT GROUP
Ludlow, MA
Meets at St. John the Baptist Pastoral Center, 201 Hubbard St., Ludlow, MA
Leaders: Nicole Sweeney,
Medical Advisor: Jonathan Bayuk, DO
Meetings have generally been held on the last Wednesday of the month. Plans are being made for possible weekend meetings. Call to confirm: 781 444 7778
MERRIMACK VALLEY ASTHMA & ALLERGY SUPPORT GROUP
Meets
at
Leaders:
Medical
Advisors: Kenneth
Chan, MD, John
Dates and topics for 2012 are still being confirmed. Check back or call to get on the e-mail list to receive meeting announcements.
Calendar
Directions
METRO-WEST ALLERGY & ASTHMA SUPPORT GROUP
Meets at Allergy & Asthma Treatment
Specialists,
Leaders: Linda Drews, Lori Brockway
Medical Advisor: Stuart Rhein, MD
Dates and topics for 2012 are still being confirmed. Check back or call to get on the e-mail list to receive meeting announcements. Here are the topics we covered last season:
Nov. 2 Managing Food Allergies at School – Learn about school food allergy policies, Individual Health Care Plans (ICHPs) and 504 Plans, and how to work with your school nurse to keep your child included and safe. Panel includes:
- Judy Styer, Director of School Health Services, Framingham Public Schools
- Mary Zentis, School Nurse, Barbieri Elementary School
- Stuart Rhein, MD, allergist and the support group's Medical Advisor
- Linda Drews, parent of college student with food allergies
Shoreside Asthma & Allergy Educational
Support Group
Meets at 7:00 p.m. at Wingate – The Inn at Silver Lake, 17 Chipman
Way, Kingston, MA (less than half mile from intersection of Pembroke St./Rt. 27 and
Leaders: Elise Thomas, Melissa Haas
Medical Advisor: John Costa, MA
Feb. 8 Roundtable: "Meeting the Challenges of Food Allergies in 2012"
April 12 Topic: To be decided
June
7
Topic: To be decided
ALLERGY & ASTHMA EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT GROUP
Meets
7—8:30 p.m. at Asthma & Allergy Physicians of
Leader: Toby Weiser
Medical Advisor: John Zwetchkenbaum, MD
Dates and topics to be announced.
The
following groups are currently inactive:
Food
Allergy Group of the
Food
Allergy Group of