Since the NODCC’s inception in 2003, our members have expressed the desire to connect with families who are geographically close. The development of an organized NODCC worldwide community through the Family Partnership Program is a prodigious undertaking, but will eventually serve as the bricks and mortar of our organization. The health and survival of these self-supporting communities will depend upon the generosity of their members in terms of time and financial resources. Active members in each Regional Community will operate in a “collective conscious” to help families and individuals as others have helped them. Each group will no doubt have its unique characteristics, but the core purpose of each group will be to “pay it forward” by sharing experiences, support, and hope to all involved.
In time Regional Communities will be designed to support the following functions:
Initial Crisis - react immediately to newly diagnosed families/individuals via telephone or personal contact
Connection - serve as a reference center to connect families/ individuals to one another either geographically, by age, by gender and/or by diagnosis
Activities - organize local area informal discussion meetings and family gatherings
It is hoped as independent Regional Communities develop and thrive, they will operate as a “brain trust” to the organization offering ideas for enhanced processes and communications; recommendations for Board of Director candidates; awareness of membership needs and special services; and ideas for conference presentations. Kindly note this is a grass-roots concept in development and we are more than happy to work with any members who would like to help the organization launch a FPP Regional Community in their area.
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