Life Raft Group
Membership Application Form
Dear Life Raft Group Applicant,
Who are we and what do we do? We are a group of GIST patients (plus their caregivers & families) who have come together to share our medical experiences and to provide each other with support. This includes many GIST patients taking Gleevec who share information about the efficacy and side effects of this drug and who explore alternative treatment options for those not responding.
Members are encouraged to correspond privately to each other or to the wider group as appropriate to the specific issue. Group correspondence is via a private, secure group list serv format, maintained on a secure server by the Association of On Line Cancer Resources (ACOR). A list-server is like an automated email group. When you send a message to the list server, or reply to one from the list server, it goes to everyone in the Life Raft Group automatically. Should you be accepted for membership in the Life Raft Group you would also be given access to this list serv group.
Privacy: Privacy is of paramount concern. We have all pledged to respect the privacy of members of our group, and agreed not to send information that might be considered private to anyone outside of the group. We try to err on the side of privacy. To help ensure that goal, we restrict membership in our group to GIST patients, and their significant others, and we ask for information that will help us to establish who you are.
Patient Data: We collect basic patient medical data and information relevant to drug response rates and side effects. Any data or information that we share is first totally cleansed of any identifying information in order to protect patient confidentiality. The main format for sharing such information is our Newsletter. Our intention is to give patients/caregivers the information they may need to have an informed and mutually respectful interaction with their physicians and to give both patients and their doctors the information they may need to better manage their medical care. Should you be accepted for membership in the Life Raft Group, you would be expected to contribute medical updates.
Newsletters: We publish a monthly Newsletter to disseminate information both to the general public and to the medical community. Copies are available at www.liferaftgroup.org
Disclaimer: We are patients and caregivers, not Doctors. Any information shared among the group should be used with caution, and is not a substitute for careful discussion with your Doctor.
Please let me know if you have any questions, or if there is anything I can do to help. I look forward to hearing from you and will let you know as soon as possible if you are accepted for membership. Should you be accepted you might wish to make a voluntary contribution to our efforts. This contribution is strictly voluntary and you will never be pressured to make it nor denied membership should you be unable or unwilling to do so for any reason. Contributions should be made payable to The Life Raft Group and mailed to Norman Scherzer, Life Raft Group Executive Director, 40 Galesi Drive, Wayne, NJ 07470. The Life Raft Group is a 501-C-3 non profit organization and contributions are tax deductible.
(s) Norman J. Scherzer
Executive Director
All information provided will be kept strictly confidential and is for the internal use of the Life Raft Group Only. We are committed to protecting the privacy of our members. Any data or information that we share in any way is always cleansed of any identifying information in order to protect confidentiality. Post any remarks in the Remarks Section below.
If you have any problems filling out this application, please call Trish McAleer at (973) 837-9092




