Brain Tumor Patients and Their Families Get Dedicated and Educated Attention When They Call for Physical, Emotional and Social Support
Supportive communications efforts, such as toll-free lines, Internet and email are highlighted during the first National Tim & Tom Gullikson Foundation Week, May 23-29, 2005.
CHICAGO, IL (PRWEB) May 23, 2005 -- In a time when callers are sent into
voice mail dungeons when they try to find an answer to a question, brain tumor
patients and their families say they’re relieved and pleasantly surprised when
they get a live person on the other end of the phone when they call for
support.
More than 1,200 people from throughout the country who contact
Tim & Tom Gullikson Foundation-funded telephone lines, email and Internet
accessible areas ask social workers questions about everything from financial
challenges that accompany an illness like brain tumors to information about care
and treatment of the disease.
“We always have a sense that people are
very overwhelmed when they contact us,” Dianne Barounis, a social worker who
answers questions via Gullikson Foundation-funded lines at the American Brain
Tumor Association, said. “They receive lots of information from their health
care providers and don’t know how to interpret it, or they don’t receive any
information and want it. Our job is to give them
direction.”
Specialist-answered toll-free lines, Internet and email
support are just some of the Tim & Tom Gullikson-funded programs that are
receiving recognition May 23-29, 2005 which marks the first National Tim &
Tom Gullikson Foundation Week. Programs and fund raisers continue throughout the
Foundation’s 10th Anniversary year that assist brain tumor patients with the
physical, emotional and social challenges that result from brain tumor
diagnoses.
Jillann Demes, a social worker from Chicago, understands the
challenge of finding information all too well as her mother was diagnosed with
brain tumors and ultimately lost her battle with the disease.
“As someone
who has gone through this illness personally, as I did with my mother, I still
[some days] ask myself how I got through it,” Demes said. “When you’re
personally involved you feel like although you have access to quality health
care and have reasonable intelligence, you still don’t know where to
turn.”
It was Demes’ experiences that led to her desire to help make life
less complicated for brain tumor patients and their families.
It was
also the experience of tennis professional and coach Tim Gullikson that led to
the formation of the Tim & Tom Gullikson Foundation in 1995.
The Tim
& Tom Gullikson Foundation was founded by tennis professionals Tim and his
twin brother, Tom Gullikson, and their families after Tim was diagnosed with
brain tumors in 1995. At the time of diagnosis, Tim Gullikson was coach to No. 1
ranked Pete Sampras. His goal in teaming with his family to create the
Foundation was to help brain tumor patients and their families manage the
challenges presented by the disease.
The Foundation accepts honorary and
memorial donations. It may be contacted at 1-888-GULLIKSON or Tim & Tom
Gullikson Foundation, 8000 Sears Tower, Chicago, IL
60606.
Contact:
Tim & Tom Gullikson
Foundation
1-888-GULLIKSON
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/5/prweb243354.htm