Kristine Tanner, Director of the Spasmodic Dysphonia Research Team at the University, has been working for the past couple of years compiling all the data from the interviews that were given to many people who have SD.

She spoke to us in July of 2010 about some of the information she found informative and will be speaking to us again in the near future regarding more information she has found during the continued research of these interviews.

We will try to have more guest speakers this coming year and also I would like to get our group more involved with helping find those speakers and participating in the group more.

April 1, 2008

We had our Annual SD symposium on the 29th of March at the Sheraton downtown here in Salt Lake City. It was fun to be able to host it here this year.

I thought it was a great event with a lot of valuable information regarding SD and what is going on in with new research regarding this disorder.

They only thing I do regret is not having media coverage at the event, (none that I’ve seen in the media anyway yet).

There does seem to be a lot of different research options that so many different professionals are working on right now, it is very exciting for all of us.

I have no doubt that someday the exact cause (or causes), of SD will be known about this mysterious disorder. I also believe someday there will be a cure for it with more research.

It was especially fun for me to meet in person so many of the SD board from Chicago and also several other people who have been a help to me in not getting discouraged from starting the Salt Lake chapter with not much success.

I started out in August of 2005 with the first meeting of the Salt Lake chapter. I sent out over 100 flyers regarding the starting up of the support group and even had a sign made up for Dr. Marshall Smith’s waiting room.

Unfortnuately, I gave up on the last meeting in June of 2006 when my group had dwindled down to just me and another lady. This lady, by the way, is Mary and she is the best. She has stood by me, helped me and encouraged me while it continued to go downhill month after month.

There was not much interest at that time or my information was not reaching enough of the SD community.

I want you to know I am very excited about getting this group up and running again. I think it is so very important to be able to talk and share with others like ourselves who understand.

I appreciate so much all of you who signed up at the symposium that are interested in attending these meetings.

From talking with several of you, I have decided to have the meetings quarterly. I know with everybody’s busy lives, that would be the best time span.

I am working on organizing the first quarterly meeting that will take place sometime in April.

I will contact every one of you about the time, date and place, as well as it being posted on this website. It will be at the same time, date and place every quarter so new contacts will always know where we are.