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    DINET's mailing address:twitter-candid-seal-gold-2022.thumb.png.c23cfc155137cd24d593f003be79eb8d.png

    Dysautonomia Information Network
    PO Box 10057
    Swanzey, NH 03446
    Email inquiries to  webmaster@dinet.org  
     

    The Dysautonomia Information Network (DINET) is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing support for people living with dysautonomia. and providing greater awareness & education to the medical community. We provide information on our website and our quarterly newsletter.  Information about dysautonomia and POTS is distributed to medical practices and support groups across the United States.  Our moderated online forum offers support for patients and caregivers, providing a place to meet and discuss issues related to dysautonomia and chronic illness with others who understand the struggle.  Our team of Medical Advisors answer questions from our members through our newsletter and also provide DINET guidance in offering evidence-based medical information on our site. Our volunteers answer questions from readers on our forum, our site, and our Facebook page. We also provide a database of physicians specializing and treating people with dysautonomia as well as a list of support groups.  We hope you will explore, meet a few people and decide to become a member.  We are here for you.

    DINET relies on donations & volunteerism to continue the important work that we do.  To read more about the ways you can support DINET, please see our Get Involved page.

    You can follow DINET on Facebook  Twitter. Instagram and YouTube

     

    Board of Directors:

    President:            Ellen Driscoll
    Vice President:    Lauren Mlack
    Treasurer           (open position)  Questions, please contact:  webmaster@dinet.org
    Secretary             Hallie Driscoll
    General Member  Lorraine Lohrmann
     
     

    Meet our Board of Directors and Just a Few of our Volunteers..

    Ellen Driscoll, President, Managing Editor

    Originally from NJ, Ellen now lives in NeEllenDriscollBioPic2017.jpgw Hampshire with her husband Jeff, their yellow lab, Winston, and the latest edition to their family, a Russian Blue cat named Taz (nickname "tiny terror"). She has a daughter, two stepsons, and three granddaughters. Ellen enjoyed a long and successful career in newspaper and web publishing before leaving her profession to better cope with her illnesses. Scoliosis was discovered when she was 18, followed by a Lupus diagnosis at 20. She began having symptoms of autonomic failure immediately following her 2nd extensive spine surgery in 2010. Even though Ellen came out of anesthesia with immediate signs that something was wrong, it still took another 3 years before the words dysautonomia, dysreflexia and POTS were mentioned. After discovering DINET and reading other survivor's stories, Ellen began volunteering. She began as Managing Editor of the quarterly newsletter, and, prior to her role as President, Ellen served as Treasurer. She is happy to put her professional skills to use to help DINET thrive. She is reminded every day that life is sweet by spending time with her family and the loves of her life - her three granddaughters. One of the biggest adjustments has been leaving behind an athletic life and trading in running shoes for a cane, but her work with DINET & new hobbies fill that time and keep her busy. Organic gardening, reading, writing, short, slow walks in the woods with Winston, cooking, sewing and an occasional ride on the ATV are all things she looks forward to on good days. As President, Ellen is primarily responsible for the administration of the DINET organization, including the financial and non-profit status requirements.  She also serves as the Managing Editor of the quarterly newsletter.  Ellen may be reached at ellen.driscoll@dinet.org 


    Lauren Mlack, Vice President,  YouTube Videographer and Social Media Coordinator

    Lauren MlackLauren lives in Cleveland, OH with her wonderful parents and two Goldendoodles, Daisy and Riley.  She loves cooking, baking, crafting and making metal jewelry in her spare time. When she was little she was always having health issues that would come and go randomly and cause lots of fatigue. Her mom kept pushing for an answer after going to countless specialists.  Finally, when she was 12, she had a tilt table test which diagnosed her with POTS.  After having to leave public school and switch to online schooling in 8th grade due to her health issues, she is finally feeling well enough, almost a decade later, to attend a local community college.  Lauren recently graduated with a degree in graphic design.  When DINET made the decision to begin producing original videos for their YouTube channel, Lauren jumped in and began teaching herself how to create, shoot and edit video content.  She has now produced videos on subjects such as symptom management, different types of dysautonomia diagnosis, testing and personal stories about day-to-day life with chronic illness.  Lauren has been a DINET volunteer for many years, joining the board in 2019.  DINET is very happy to announce her election to the Vice Presidency of the Board of Directors this fall.  Lauren is very excited that she can use her skills to help a great cause like DINET.  For information about our social media pages, email Lauren.Mlack@dinet.org

     
     

    554222_4506470502946_906626163_n.jpg.3ff52b4f7f0c6d45c0f6190f68d98375.jpgHallie Driscoll, Secretary

    Hallie lives in New Hampshire with her amazing daughter and her kittie.  Hallie owns a small business offering graphic design, website development and original art.  Hallie brings both her creative and administrative background to her work with DINET.   She entered the world of dysautonomia when she was thrust into the role of caregiver at a young age when her mother became ill.   Hallie became symptomatic during her pregnancy spending the bulk of that time unable to stand for more than a minute or two.  She now says that she has a new understanding of what patients go through after experiencing it herself.   Luckily her symptoms went away after she delivered her healthy baby girl, but Hallie finds a renewed dedication to educating people she meets about dysautonomia.  

    Hallie works on special projects for DINET and website projects. Hallie was nominated to the role of Board Secretary in 2022.

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    Lori Lohrmann, General Member

    Lori joined the DINET board after years as a member.  Lori is a caregiver to a sister with dysautonomia.  She brings her background as a mental health professional to good use helping to advise DINET on topics such as anxiety and depression that are so prevalent in chronic illness communities.  Lori lives with her husband and daughter who is a 22 year survivor of childhood brain cancer.  

     
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    Judith Pettibone, Newsletter Editor

    Judith is a parent of two daughters, one of whom has just been recently diagnosed with POTS after a six-year-long search. She is an Occupational Therapist by training and a professional writer. She is working on a book about The Colorado Boys Ranch and is a regular columnist in her small town paper. Her particular interest lies in the challenges of caretaking as well as in the many issues raised with the medical field and how it treats the chronically ill. Judith lives in Monument, Colorado with her husband, senior in high school daughter and her college-aged daughter on those weekends when she comes home to eat and do laundry.  For information about our newsletter, please contact the newsletter staff through the webmaster@dinet.org mailbox. 
     
     

    Katherine Munson, Forum Administrator
     Katherine holds an M.S. from the University of Maryland in Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development. She works part-time as a natural resources planner for local government on Maryland's eastern shores. Katherine developed pregnancy/postpartum induced POTS with the birth of her first child in October 2002.  For information about our forums, please contact Dinetforums@dinet.org

     

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