News & Events

2022 Annual Appeal Letter

Those of us in the patient community often throw around the phrase “new normal”. (We even hosted a webinar about it this year!) Finding our “New Normal” implies learning to live with a diagnosis, settling into a routine of regular laboratory tests and doctors’ appointments, and sometimes modifying work or leisure activities to accommodate our new reality. But as patients, we continue to persevere – and hopefully learn to once again thrive!

Nearly three years after COVID, we haven’t exactly found our own “New Normal”, but all of our online patient education and support activities have been full speed ahead.

This year, we launched a new series of webinars called “Community Conversations” to elevate patient voices on topics of interest to our community. You can view the first two – “Navigating the New Normal” and “Long-Term Use of Anti-Thyroid Drugs” on our YouTube channel. Additional sessions are in the works for 2023, so if there’s a special topic that you’d like to hear about from our patient/caregiver community, let us know! Another major project was completing a survey of the thyroid eye disease (TED) community on a number of issues ranging from symptoms to treatment options to quality-of-life issues (in partnership with rareLife Solutions and with funding from Horizon Therapeutics). We look forward to sharing new insights on this life-changing disease in the coming year.

We’ve continued to host support group meetings via Zoom, which of course isn’t quite the same as meeting in person, but has the advantage of bringing together patients and caregivers from throughout the world – all from the comfort of your home!

Some of our work this year has been behind the scenes, including converting our contact management database to an industry leading system. It took longer than expected – as projects like this always seem to do – but the new payment system now fits neatly into platforms like JustGiving that allow individuals to set up their own fundraisers! Whether you would like to do a one-off fundraiser for your birthday – or host a virtual walk/run or other challenge, let us know, and we’ll help you get started!

As 2022 draws to a close, please consider a donation to help GDATF continue to serve patients and caregivers. Donations can be made via regular mail (GDATF, P.O. Box 2793, Rancho Santa Fe, CA, 92067) or processed securely using the “Donate” button on this site. And if you have suggestions as to how we better can help you move beyond a “New Normal” to living your best life, we’re just a phone call, email, or letter away! (Email: info@gdatf.org; phone: 877-643-3123; address: P.O. Box 2793, Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067).

Thanks for your support and wishing everyone a healthy, happy New Year!

Sincerely,

Kimberly K. Dorris, Executive Director and CEO
Nancy Hord Patterson, Founder and Chair Emeritus