One of the most important functions of the Foundation is to provide support to those who suffer with Still's Disease.  Dealing with a chronic illness isn't always easy.  Just being able to communicate with others who are going through some of the same things that you are can help. 

Our founder, Tom Kufahl, created a mailing list for those with Still's Disease to communicate.  It has become the "heart" of our support group.  We encourage you to subscribe to the mailing list.  From there you will be able to email every person on the mailing list.  It is wonderful for those who are newly diagnosed.  It gives you a way to ask questions, tell your story, or if you need a friend.  More recently we created a message board,  and now have a weekly chat.

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Butterfly
One day a small opening appeared on a cocoon, a man sat and watched
the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force it's body
through that little opening.
Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had
gotten as far as it could and it could go no further. So the man
decided to help the butterfly, he took a pair of scissors and snipped
off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged
easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man
continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any
moment, the wings would expand to be able to support the body, which
would contract in time.

Neither happened.

In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of it's life crawling around
with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly. What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand, was that
the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to
get through the opening, were God's way of forcing the fluid from the
body of the butterfly into it's wings so that it would be ready for
flight once it achieved it's freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If God
allowed us to go through our life without any obstacles, it would
cripple us. We would not be as strong as we could have been. We could
never fly.

I asked for strength...
And God gave me Difficulties to make me strong.
I asked for wisdom...
And God gave me problems to solve.
I asked for Prosperity...
And God gave me Brain and Brawn to work.
I asked for Courage...
And God gave me Danger to overcome.
I asked for Love...
And God gave me Troubled people to help.
I asked for Favors...
And God gave me opportunities.

I received nothing I wanted.
I received everything I needed.

-Anonymous

DISCLAIMER:

The materials and information on this server are intended for educational and informational purposes only. The materials and information are not intended to replace the services of a trained health professional or to be a substitute for medical advice of physicians and/or other health care professionals. The International Still's Disease Foundation is not engaged in rendering medical or professional medical services. You should consult your physician on specific medical questions, particularly in matters requiring diagnosis or medical attention. The International Still's Disease Foundation makes no representations or warranties with respect to any treatment, action, application medication or preparation by any person following the information offered or provided within this website.  Any information used from other websites was done so with permission from each site, with an exception to those of "public domain", whereas we believe any site without a cited reference was a "public domain site" and for our use.  The International Still's Disease Foundation is a non-profit organization.   This page was last updated on June 13, 2002

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