The CSSISG meets the CSSA
Gary and Sue Todd meet with a Co-Director of the CSSA.

Jane Dion, one of the Co-Directors of the CSSA, had the opportunity to meet with Gary and Sue Todd, founders of the CSSISG, including the CSSISG mail group, on a Monday in January 2005 after a long, tortuous journey for them. The Todds, who are from the U.K., were due to arrive in Boston on Sunday afternoon for a weeklong conference but the " Great Blizzard of 2005" closed the airports for hours. They had to fly into Philadelphia and were bused to Boston on the next day. Carol Kavanaugh, also a Co-Director of the CSSA had made arrangements to fly from California for the meeting, but her plane was delayed indefinetly due to the storm. She was greatly missed.

I was able to thank Gary and Sue for all of us for their efforts in establishing the CSSISG website and mail group which has been a lifesaver for many of us. It is through the mail group that we are able to share experiences and support each other.

My husband and I had a wonderful dinner with the Todds. They felt like old friends rather than like someone we were meeting for the first time. They are warm and friendly people with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. I would love for them to share their story about Gary's experiences with CSS as it is truly inspirational. Churg Strauss has had a tremendous impact on their lives, requiring many life changes. They had to rebuild their lives, yet they took the time to create a resource for others with this disease. They are now happy and successful in their new ventures. They deserve our admiration and our thanks!

The Todds feel there is room for both CSS groups as the focus for each is slightly different. The CSSA is based in the United States and has research as its primary focus, while the CSSISG group is based out of the U.K. and provdes information and support to people around the world affected by this disease. Each site will have a link to the other. The primary purpose of both is to support those of us with Churg Strauss Syndrome. The CSSA is grateful for our alliance with the Todds' wonderful organization.