Get to Know BHC – Volunteer Leadership

by | Feb 16, 2016 | BHC News

knights - leadershipIt has been said that, “The possibilities of the boardroom should aspire to the ideals that legendary medieval English King Arthur created at his infamous round table. There, knights gathered in effort and equality to erect a vast empire that changed history.” In this post, Dr. Bateman describes the amazing volunteers that comprise the BHC Board of Directors… and they are indeed a legendary group of individuals at the helm. Read more and get to know a little more about your BHC leadership…

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Get to Know BHC’s Legendary Volunteer Leadership
By Dr. Lucinda Bateman

I suspect most of you reading this blog are becoming increasingly aware that BHC is a non-profit organization devoted to expanding the ability of a clinic (formerly Fatigue Consultation Clinic) to help more patients, implement promising research, and bring new professionals into the field. But you may not realize there are many people behind the scenes that make it happen.

Who is operating BHC?  BHC is led by a Board of Volunteer Directors that are doing everything possible to increase resources for the clinic and research department of BHC.  Our Board of Directors is uniquely prepared and invested in this process.  The BHC board of directors includes (this list describes some Directors more than once):

  • 3 health care providers with expertise in these illnesses
  • a disability attorney and a law student
  • 3 parents of children with MECFS (including one highly trained engineer who supports her ill child with caretaking rather than employment)
  • 3 spouses of patients with MECFS or FM
  • 3 board members with FM
  • 5 board members with MECFS
  • one disabled hospital and one active hospital administrator
  • one disabled financial advisor and one active banking/credit union executive
  • a retired secondary education administrator
  • and a beekeeper  😉

They believe so deeply in the purpose of the Bateman Horne Center that they – the “who” of BHC – often sacrifice their personal comfort, use limited energy and forfeit the symptom relief of pacing, or use their precious free time to lead BHC in pursuit of our vision and mission.

We also have an Advisory Board, mostly lending moral support, advice and credibility. This group includes:

  • a retired MECFS/ME physician
  • the parents of 2 severely ill MECFS adult children
  • 2 FM sufferers
  • the husband of a CFSME sufferer
  • an NIH funded FM researcher
  • an Integrative Medicine clinician and an Integrative Medicine psychologist
  • a prominent retired athlete with chronic pain
  • the editor of a local health magazine
  • an academic  pediatrician
  • a major philanthropist
  • and a TV news broadcaster

BHC is a nonprofit organization devoted to bringing MECFS and FM into the mainstream of clinical and medical science. Our leadership boards are committed to the governance of this organization and the achievement of our mission. And yet, everything we accomplish is dependent on the support from others.  We have two immediate goals – to train one new clinician researcher and to move to a larger building. Both of these goals, when achieved, dramatically increase our ability to see more patients and implement higher quality research. We also dream of hiring a new physician right out of residency, building them up into a life-long career of compassionate, comprehensive MECFS/FM care.

YOU can help us achieve these goals.  $50,000 will ensure the new physician (MD PhD) has ample time to thoughtfully evaluate patients and develop expertise in a field that has no credentialed training programs.  Another $50,000 will ensure a smooth transition to a new office space with additional exam rooms and new research equipment.  $100,000 in guaranteed salary would help us attract a young clinician to a unique and promising new career path.

Raising $200,000 sounds like a lofty goal. And yet I believe we can achieve it. When we gather together, we work in cooperation, with great integrity and care, we can change history for all those impacted by MECFS and FM.

Join us in the legendary undertaking.

CindySignature

 

 

 

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Between now and May 12th – International ME/CFS & FM Awareness Day – we’ll be inviting you to support the work of the Bateman Horne Center in ways large and small. Whether you support us while you shop through our online portal, become a steadfast monthly donor, take to social media to invite family and friends to join you in supporting our work, or simply make a one-time gift, you have the power to make a legendary impact for everyone impact by MECFS and FM.

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