2017 Year In Review
From coast to coast and around the globe, the PMDD community as a whole has become more inclusive and accepting. We've long known that not every case of PMDD is the same and neither are the individuals who have it. 2017 marked for us a large expansion of the community we serve.
Here's a look back on highlights from 2017!
After finishing in 15th place in the 2016 Revlon Million Dollar Charity Challenge, our team headed to New York City to share the work of Gia Allemand Foundation with Revlon Cosmetics. While they did not choose our idea for an awards event recognizing the achievements of women in mental health, it was an excellent opportunity to create new relationships while raising awareness of PMDD.
We said hello and goodbye to some amazing women on our board of directors in 2017! We said farewell to Rebecca Browning, Suzi Taylor, Lizette Alicia, Leslie Carol Botha, and Joan Simpson. We said hello to Courtney Crockett, Kristin Drouin MSW, Laura Murphy, and Sheila Buchert. Most notably, senior board member, Sandi Henderson BACS CFLE, was appointed Board President 🎉
We also welcomed Tory Eisenlhor-Moul PhD to our Clinical Advisory Board!
We met with Sable Schultz, Transgender Program Manager of GLBT Community Center of Colorado, to learn ways to include and support transgender and non-binary sufferers of PMDD.
We re-launched our peer support program! The current program provides a comprehensive training for volunteer peer support providers seeking to share their lived experience with PMDD to help others. Created with Jenni Kay Long LCSW and Clinical Suicidologist with Khesed Wellness, this program teaches providers to provide compassionate support while guiding others to resources and crisis intervention when needed. In 2017, we provided over 366 free and confidential peer support sessions to people in need.
A special thank you to Brett, Lauren, Laura, Olivia, Audrey, Bonnie and everyone who joined our Peer Support Team in 2017!
We added 13 Professional Members and passed 100 providers in our peer-recommended provider directory! Each provider listed has been recommended by a patient with PMDD or by a provider that has self-committed to helping those with the disorder.
We survived the storm! Disappointingly, we had to postpone the 2017 PMDD Annual Conference due to the impact of one Hurricane Irma. Happily, we've already set the new date to May 16 - May 18, 2018!
Educational Events
We held 5 free virtual events as part of our Life With PMDD web series. Topics covered hysterectomy & oophorectomy, relationships, peer support, holistic therapy, nutrition, workplace accomidations, and suicidality.
We also hosted our very first Teen PMDD Community Call-in, Friends & Family Community Call-in, and #PMDDPeeps on Twitter!
Awareness Events
Peer Support Program Director, Jenni Kay Long LCSW, represented us well at CYCLES + SEX in NYC and at the American Association of Suicidology's 50th Annual Conference.
We made lots of new friends as we continued to partner with like-minded organizations in a global effort to expand awareness, research, and support to those with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder and Premenstrual Exacerbation of underlying disorders.
Special Thanks to Our Donors and Supporters
This organization would not be what it is today without the generous support of our board members, volunteers, grant makers, and donors. We are so extremely grateful for your ongoing support in 2018!
- Ryan Anderson Foundation
- Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
- Macy’s, Inc.
- Me v PMDD
- Viscous Circle
- Elvie
- Aytu Women's Health, LLC
- LIPOGEN
A very special thank you to the Micheletti Family, Rebecca Cohen, Jack Anderson, Kevin & Brandon Tydlaska-Dziedzic, Marc LaFleur, Nic Evennet, William Bonner, Marie Conley, Kelly Hogan, Yen Hoang, and Brett Buchert.
Charity Events
Lastly, we held five major fund raising events in 2017 to support our programs:
- Winter Raffle
- 3rd Annual Silent Auction
- Macy's Shop for a Cause Charity Challenge
- #GivingTuesday
- Gia's 34th Birthday