Local Resources, Support Groups & Associations

AIDS Prevention Project -- An extensive collection of resources and information compiled by the Seattle-King County Department of Public Health.

American Cancer Society -- Locate local community contacts and access online resources through the American Cancer Society -- dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy and service.

American Diabetes Association -- Learn about diabetes research, legislation, advocacy issues & related information through the Washington state affiliate of the American Diabetes Association dedicated to prevent and cure diabetes, and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes.

American Heart Association -- Locate the Washington state affiliate of the American Heart Association the world's leading authority on cardiovascular health and science.

American Lung Association of Washington -- Washington state affiliate of the American Lung Association dedicated to prevent lung disease and promote lung health.

Athena Partners -- Athena Partners is a not-for-profit corporation founded by a Seattle-area cancer survivor passionately committed to eliminating women's cancers by advancing research and education. Athena Partners raises funds, in part, through the sale of Athena bottled water.

Bailey-Boushay House -- Bailey-Boushay House is America's first skilled nursing facility that was planned, funded, built and staffed to meet the needs of people living with AIDS. Located in Seattle, the facility is managed by Virginia Mason Medical Center, an experienced health care provider.

Cancer Lifeline -- Cancer Lifeline, located in Seattle, provides cancer patients, their families, coworkers and friends with the following services: family support program, workplace consultation, kid's group/parent's group, movement awareness workshops, relaxation and stress reduction series, pain management, and nutrition classes. Services other than the Lifeline are available only in the Greater King County Area. There are no charges for these services with the exception of Workplace Consultation.

Children's Trust Foundation -- Children's Trust Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening families and ensuring the healthy development of children.

Community Services for the Blind and Partially Sighted (CSBPS)  -- The CSBPS is a private not-for-profit organization committed to helping visually impaired persons remain independent by providing programs, services, and information that make the world more accessible.

Dotsplus -- DotsPlus , produced by Oregon State University, is a device-independent typeface developed for blind readers that intends to encompass a large set of symbols in addition to standard braille. Font sets have been designed for Microsoft Windows 95 and 3.1, and for use on the Macintosh.

Easter Seal Society of Washington -- The Easter Seal Society of Washington is a direct service organization committed to providing world class, quality programs and services to help people with disabilities and their families live with equality, dignity and independence.

Gilda's Club Seattle -- Gilda's Club Seattle provides a warm meeting place where men, women and children living with cancer, along with their families, partners and friends, join with others to build social and emotional support as a supplement to medical care. Free of charge and nonprofit, they offer support and networking groups, lectures, workshops and social events in a nonresidential, home-like setting.

Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound -- Access a wide range of useful health related resources through the nation’s largest consumer-governed healthcare organization.

HealthTalk InteractiveTM -- Sounding like talk radio shows, but delivered both over the telephone - via toll-free numbers - and the Internet, HealthTalk Interactive® (HTISM) is a free, around-the-clock service that connects patients and family members worldwide with leading medical experts and also with other people like themselves.

Hearing, Speech & Deafness Center -- The Hearing, Speech & Deafness Center, located in Seattle, is an independent agency offering a broad array of services tailored to help people with a variety of communication problems related to hearing loss and/or speech and language impairments.

Hepatitis Education Project (HEP) -- HEP is a non-profit corporation chartered in the state of Washington to provide educational materials and support groups for hepatitis patients and their families. HEP publishes a quarterly newsletter and sponsors a number of support groups throughout the Pacific Northwest.

• Hepatitis Support Groups

Life Long AIDS Alliance -- Lifelong AIDS Alliance is a new organization formed through the merger of the Northwest AIDS Foundation and Chicken Soup Brigade. Lifelong AIDS Alliance is committed to preventing the spread of HIV, and to providing practical support services and advocating for those whose lives are affected by HIV and AIDS.

March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation -- The March of Dimes mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects and infant mortality.

Multiple Sclerosis Association (MSA) of King County -- The mission of the MSA is to enhance the quality of life of people with MS and their families by providing rehabilitation, education and social services.

National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) -- Locate local NAMI affiliates. The mission of NAMI is to improve the quality of life for people with chronic mental illnesses and their families. NAMI provides support groups, informs and educates, reachs out to the community, advocate for improved services and research, and fight to eliminate stigma in mental  illness.

National Gaucher Foundation -- The mission of the NGF is to find a cure for Gaucher Disease by funding vital research programs, to meet the ever- increasing needs of patients and families, as well as to promote community/physician awareness and educational programs through regional chapter meetings, patient support groups and international conferences.

National Multiple Sclerosis Society -- The mission of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society is to end the devastating effects of MS. The Society and its network of chapters nationwide promote research, educate, advocate on critical issues, and organize a wide range of programs - including support for the newly diagnosed and those living with MS over time.

Northwest Kidney Centers -- The mission of the Northwest Kidney Centers is to promote the optimal health, quality of life and independence of people with kidney disease, through patient care, education and research.

Northwest Parkinson's Foundation (NWPF) -- The NWPF) is a non-profit corporation, established to make the Northwest a leading center of movement disorders knowledge and treatment in the world. The Foundation's goals include community outreach and awareness, establishing itself as a focus for knowledge and education for the region, and advocacy to government.

Northwest Tissue Center -- The Northwest Tissue Center is the nonprofit, community-sponsored tissue bank established to provide high-quality human tissue for transplant to patients in the Northwest.

Pierce County AIDS Foundation -- The Pierce County Aids Foundation provides a wide range of care services for persons affected by HIV/AIDS, including community education and prevention.

Puget Sound Blood Center -- In Western Washington, the Puget Sound Blood Center and Program is the organization that accepts blood donations in order to meet the needs of patients. The Puget Sound Blood Center is one of the largest blood center/research facilities in the nation, and is recognized internationally for advancements in transfusion and transplantation medicine.

Rosehedge -- The Mission of Rosehedge is to provide high quality, cost-effective, compassionate health care and residential services to persons living with HIV, AIDS and other chronic/terminal illnesses.

Seattle Cancer Care Alliance -- The Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, stablished in 1997, is a consortium of the University of Washington Medical Center, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and Children's Hospital Medical Center. The Alliance combines the strengths of its three members to create a premier integrated ambulatory and inpatient cancer program with extensive collaboration among the researchers at each institution.

Virginia Merrill Bloedel Hearing Research Center -- The University of Washington's Bloedel Hearing Research Center brings together an interdisciplinary group of investigators to study hearing, hearing loss, and related communication disorders. The Center is a communication focal point among basic and clinical scientists to facilitate the sharing of ideas and information for the collective advancement of auditory science and patient care.

Washington Assistive Technology Alliance (WATA) -- Washington Assistive Technology Alliance is a project funded by the National Institute of Disability and Rehabilitation Research and mandated by the Technology Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act (1994). The intent of WATA is to change the policies and practices related to assistive technology in the state of Washington in order to increase the access of individuals with disabilities to appropriate assistive technology devices and services.

Washington - Alaska Pain Initiative (WACPI) -- The Washington Alaska Pain Initiative is a multidisciplinary movement directed towards improving the management of cancer pain throughout the states of Washington and Alaska.

Washington State Medical Association (WSMA) -- The object of the WSMA is to promote the art and science of medicine, to protect and improve the health of the public, and to serve and provide leadership for the membership of the WSMA, allied health professionals and the pubic.

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