One of our most successful programs is our Mentor Program here at American RSDHopel. Those patients and loved ones involved are enjoying themselves and getting a lot out of it. Would YOU like to be a Mentor? Or do you need a Mentor?

What is a Mentor?

A mentor's main purpose is to help another person define individual goals and find ways to achieve them. Since the expectations of each person will vary, the mentor's job is to encourage the development of a flexible relationship that responds to both the mentor's and the other person's needs.

Who needs a Mentor?

1) A newly diagnosed RSD patient
2) A patient struggling with the diagnosis and is in need of help in dealing with the associated problems
3) Loved ones of RSD patients who need help in understanding the disease.
4) Parents dealing with children diagnosed with RSD

What the Mentor Program is

A way for patients who have dealt with RSD for a number of years and have learned things such as how to accept their disease and move on, realizing that things are not better or worse, just different, and so forth.

A Mentor must be someone with a positive outlook. Someone who has been through the struggles and worked through the problems. It doesn't mean it is someone who has conquered the world, just someone who is fighting the good fight and is willing to share what they have learned with others.

What the Mentor Program is not

The Mentors are just everyday people. If they are RSD patients they most likely are not in remission. They have just gotten control of their pain.

The Mentors will not be officially affiliated with RSDHope. While we will be there to provide advice when asked, there is no direct connection. If people decide to do this it is a one on one connection, between the two of you.

A Mentor is NOT a substitute for a Medical Professional. They are not there to provide medical advice, nor to tell you which treatment you should or should not have; but rather to guide you with the myriad of treatments available.

Let's assume you are a Mentor for an RSD patient. What might be involved?

As a Mentor you would help them learn things such as:

- How to find a good Doctor
- Local support group
- On-line support group that meets their needs
- Help them to understand exactly what it is they have since many Doctors will simply tell them "You have RSD/CRPS" and that is it.
- Be able to recognize when the newly diagnosed person needs professional help, such as a Psychiatrist or Counselor.
- Explain the symptoms of RSD so they don't think they are crazy, such as memory loss and the extreme pain involved, lack of ability to concentrate and sleep.
- Help them to understand medical terms,
- Help them to explain the disease and its impact on their families and friends
- Help them to understand the impact on their lives and future through the many articles available on the website,
- And maybe the most important thing of all, help them to understand they are not alone .
- Lastly, how to navigate around this and other websites and make the most out of the experience, and gain the confidence to become a mentor themselves.

Sometimes it might even mean taking the kid gloves off and sending a proverbial wake-up call via email or phone call to a fellow patient, something that can only come from another patient, telling them it is time to stop the complaining and DO something about their disease. Maybe that is going and finding a better Doctor for themselves, or educating themselves when their Doctor won't explain things thoroughly. Maybe the patient just doesn't want to accept the diagnosis itself, let's face it - none of us wants this diagnosis, but there comes a time when we have to accept it. Sometimes we have to be pushed to take that first step, it helps to have someone take it with us.

Would you like to be a Mentor to a newbie? Have you been down this RSD road before and would you like to help someone else go down it? Would you like to share what you have learned over the years? (typically a mentor would need to have had to have been through at least a couple of years of RSD). Are you willing to devote some of your spare time to a newly diagnosed person? To help them through this difficult experience? It is a rough road. There will be difficult times, understand that. Before you say yes, you must ask yourself if you are up to this commitment because your mentee will be dependent on you and you must be there for them. Usually we have very little notice as to when someone needs a mentor and when the mentee gets assigned to you so your information MUST be current at all times. American RSDHope must be apprised of all contact changes.

We are also looking for couples that would like to mentor. We have only one couple who mentor and they have been wonderful and have had great success but they are only 1 couple! We could always use more parents as well. We have many children coming along who have RSD and many in their late teens have found great support with each other but younger children need to find their nitch in the RSD world.

If this is something that interests you please contact Lynne and Karen at our office and tell them about yourself by going to the CONTACT US form on the FRONT PAGE of the web site. Fill out the information and then tell us a little bit about why you would be a good mentor.

CONVERSELY, IF YOU ARE A Newly Diagnosed Patient, or recently diagnosed and would like a Mentor in your life just tell us what you are looking for in a mentor. Provide the same information as above except explain how you think one could help you. If you aren't sure, that's ok too.

If you do not include the contact information needed you will not be considered for a Mentor or a Mentee so please include ALL information.

If you just email us and you do not go through the CONTACT US at the FRONT PAGE you will not be considered for the program as we need all the information requested in that form to start you in the program.

Don't be bashful! It can make a difference in your life. This isn't a disease to take lightly, nor is it a journey you have to take alone. Many of us have been down this road before so let us show you some of the things we have learned along the way to make your journey easier than ours was. You aren't in this alone. Karen and Lynne are there too and the website is full of information and articles to help as well as a wealth of other websites dealing with RSD/Chronic pain. Remember, you can be an important stepping stone in a person's journey.