Support Groups provide a forum to share feelings, concerns, information, and as well as a place to offer peer support and encouragement. Solicitations or research projects are not conducted at support group meetings.

This schedule is subject to change. Before attending a group for the first time, please call to verify date and time. Groups are free of charge and open to everyone.

E-mail support group
We have started an e-mail support group for those patients and families that are not close to one of our existing support groups or those who would like to participate in addition to attending a support group. There is a weekly topic of discussion by email and everyone is free to comment or ask a question at any time. Participants in the e-mail support group can send e-mails as often as they’d like. If you are interested in being part of an email support group, please contact the office at 856-779-7225 or via e-mail at cferara@scleroderma.org.

Yahoo Group created for Scleroderma

You can now chat with others who are affected by this disease online. This Yahoo group was created for the Delaware Valley Chapter of the Scleroderma Foundation. The purpose of the group is to provide a forum to share feelings, concerns, information, and as well as a place to offer peer support and encouragement. The group is fairly new, so we depend on you to spread the word and encourage other patients, caregivers, friends and family to join.

To join this group, you will need to have a Yahoo email account or you can create a free account. To sign up for a Yahoo email account, go to www.yahoo.com and click on the link on the right side for Free Mail: Sign Up. It just takes three easy steps and you will have an email account.

To access the group, go to www.yahoo.com and select Groups on the left column. Then on the right side, you will see Find a Yahoo! Group with the option to search. Type in scleroderma delaware valley and this group will appear. If you click on the link for the SclerodermaFoundationDelawareValleyChapter, you can then post messages and have conversations with others affected by this disease. This group was created so people can share information about the disease and share useful tips on things that help to cope and live with scleroderma.

We hope you will become a part of our group. Please spread the word.

NEW JERSEY

Burlington/Camden

2nd Thursday of every other month at 1:30 pm starting in January
BurlCam Support Group
We meet at the Cherry Professional Building, 385 Kings Highway North, Cherry Hill, N.J. See map.
Contact John Keegan, 856-767-4783, johnkeegan@comcast.net

Monmouth County

10:00 AM, Second Saturday of every month (except Jan, Feb, July & Aug)
Monmouth County Support Group
Call support group leader for meeting location.
Support Group Leader: Marsha Niederman, 732-276-5807, mjniederman@optonline.net

Warren

Watchung Hills Support Group
Next meeting is June 8th at 12:30 p.m. Call Ellen or Chris for further information about the meeting place.
Tuesday, October 12th at 2:00 p.m. Location: Trinity United Church, 118 King George Road, Warren, N.J., 732-469-5044. Map.
Support Group Leaders: Ellen Waldstein, 908-647-7266, ellw@optonline.net and Chris Frascella, 908-604-6054

Woodbury

1st Monday or Tuesday of the month, quarterly at 7:00 pm – June 2 (Date change), September 2, December 6 - 2010
Woodbury, New Jersey Support Group
Underwood Memorial Hospital, 238 S Evergreen Avenue, Woodbury, NJ, Dining Room B, First Floor.
Support Group Leader: Mary Nuzzo, 856-582-6456, marynuzz@msn.com

PENNSYLVANIA

Doylestown

4th Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. starting May 24, 2010
Doylestown Support Group
Doylestown Hospital, 1st floor – North Wing – Conference Room B, 595 West State Street, Doylestown , Pennsylvania 18901, 215-345-2200
Support Group Leader: Mary Gocek, 908-256-3408

Langhorne

2010 meeting time and dates: Wednesdays at 1:30 pm – March 24, June 23, September 22, and November 24
Bucks County Support Group
Frankford Hospital - Bucks County, Conference Room C – ground floor, 380 N. Oxford Valley Road, Langhorne, PA 19047, 215-949-5000
Support Group Leader: Ilene Nusblatt, 215-321-1670, inusblatt@comcast.net

Norristown

6:30 p.m. fourth Wednesday of every month
Norristown Support Group
Conference room at the Montgomery Hospital Medical Center, 1330 Powell, Suite 308, Norristown, PA.
Support Group Leaders: Joanne Cipollini, work - 610-270-2703, home - 610-644-1582, jcipollini@mont-hosp.com and Andrea Balkiewicz, 610-495-7976, and1300@comcast.net

Philadelphia

2nd Wednesday of the month at 1:00 p.m. starting May 12, 2010
Philadelphia Support Group
Starbucks at Target; 4000 Monument Road @ City Line Avenue; Philadelphia, PA   19131 Map and directions.
Support Group Leader: Joyce Roby-Washington, 215-474-0259 or 267-516-6987, joycerw757@msn.com

Pottstown

If anyone is interested in attending the Pottstown group, but has been unable to attend because of the time/day/location, please contact the SFDV office at 866-675-5545. In the meanwhile, there is the nearby Reading group that members can attend. For more information, please contact Dawn Batzel at 610-287-1445 or happy81070@verizon.net

Reading

Saturdays at 10:00 am – January 9, March 13, May 8, July 10, September 11, November 13 - 2010
Reading Support Group
Reading Pediatrics office, 40 Berkshire Court, Wyomissing, PA 19610, Map and directions
Support Group Leader: Dawn Batzel, 610-287-1445, happy81070@verizon.net

Williamsport

1:00 p.m. first Wednesday each month (except July & August)
Williamsport Area Support Group
Life Center in the Lycoming Mall, 300 Lycoming Mall Cir # 3021, Muncy, Penn. See map and directions.
Support Group Leaders: Jayne Young, 570-323-4228, weyclu@sunlink.net, co-leader Gayle Bullock, 570-398-0551

Wyalusing

1st Wednesday of the month at 2:00 pm
Wyalusing Support Group
Wyalusing Public Library
202 Church Street
Wyalusing, PA 18853
Support Group Leaders: Janet Baker, 570-746-1278, cadreaming@frontiernet.net

York

Next meeting is June 16, 2010.
Meets quarterly on Wednesdays at 7:00 pm
York/Lancaster Support Group
Elmwood Mansion Conference Center, 400 Elmwood Blvd. (Corner of S. Belmont St & Elmwood Blvd), York, PA 17402, 800-436-4326.
Support Group Leaders: Kathleen Gaskell-Blankenship, 717-428-1464, karlkathleen@earthlink.net