Over time, we at The Scheuermann's Disease Fund have been fortunate to cross paths, and in some cases join forces with, people and organizations that have stood out among the rest of the world in their wonderful pursuit of helping humanity.
They have chosen similar paths, to help those of us with physical ailments, and come from all walks of life, such as pain management, spinal deformities, medical, legal, and others (as they are added). Hopefully, you will visit these organizations and potentially find some enjoyment, help, or maybe some relief that these organizations have provided to our organization and our followers.
Helpful Resources
Facebook Support Groups
A few awesome people have setup Facebook support groups that are dedicated to people suffering from Scheuermann's Disease. These places allow those of us who feel like we are the only one's in the world with this spinal deformity to discuss our lives with others going through similar circumstances. The people in these groups are wonderfully supportive. I encourage you to check out some of these groups: FB Support Group 1, FB Support Group 2
Legal
*First and foremost, if you need help with Long-Term Disability, especially as it pertains to Scheuermann's Disease, call Joe McDonald of Centerville, Ohio. www.mcdonaldandmcdonald.com .
Joe and his wife Christy, practice ERISA Disability law in several states. ERISA is a strange and complicated law the covers all types of employee benefits that you receive from work. Believe me, when you lose access to an employee benefit like LTD, you need a lawyer who a specialist.
Joe McDonald was my lawyer and he represented me during my appeals and in Federal District Court in Pittsburgh PA. With Joes help, I think we created one of the first rulings to embrace the idea that SD is a disabling condition!!!!
Below is the short explanation as to why:
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As everybody knows who has ever read my history with SD, I was forced to resign my job as Regional Director from Dimensional Fund Advisors (my dream job) due to many factors including pain and my severe spinal deformity.
What virtually nobody knows is that after my move from Austin, TX to Pittsburgh, PA (to be closer family) my long-term disability insurance company terminated my disability contract in April of 2012. That means for the last 3 1/2 years, I have not had a paycheck. This comes after moving and spending most of my cash to refurbish my new home for handicapped access.
But this didn't stop me from starting The Scheuermann's Disease Fund. We needed to fight this case and win it. We needed a case to be used as a persuasive argument so others could use it to support their claims of disability. The pain that SD generates never, ever lets up and I wanted somebody to recognize that.
What was the reason for my LTD benefit termination? That is explained in further detail in a Facebook post. It is important to note that my former employer, Dimensional Fund Advisors, was wonderful and supported me 100%, and they were so shocked that this LTD benefit denial occurred.
I was irate, furious, and scared beyond belief. I always had the ability to support myself and that is why I planned properly for my retirement, which included a long-term policy, just in-case...but I was now handicapped and at the will of a huge insurance company.
So, long story short. I was referred by one of my best friends to, Joe McDonald, a very well-known disability attorney, in Ohio. Unbeknownst to me, this was the best decision of my life. Joe fought for me and never wavered in his commitment to winning and getting my benefits. He was the best.
Joe fought for me tooth and nail. At every step, he was there for me. He drove to Pittsburgh to meet my doctors, gather evidence and attend court meetings. When the litigation started, we hired another attorney, Tybe Brett of Pittsburgh, to help with the case. Tybe is a brilliant and skilled litigator who, like Joe, dedicates herself to fighting for people against big insurance companies. I was very fortunate to have her on my team!
After an extended motion practice (which seemed to take forever), we finally received the ruling in March of 2015. We won nearly every argument and the court ruled that it was arbitrary (yes, arbitrary!!) for my insurer to deny my LTD benefit! Thank you Judge David Cercone for understanding that I was treated really badly and for having the courage to stand up to big insurance!
I will receive the back pay plus interest and be put back on the claim with monthly payments. All thanks to Joe and his work.
Bottom line, if you need help, “Call Joe." www.mcdonaldandmcdonald.com . 1-877-428-9806
Leah Fink, a disability attorney in Pittsburgh, called the charity wanting to learn more about SD. We talked for a long time and Leah felt that SD will become an adult spinal disorder seen more often in disability court cases. She requested pamphlets and actually posted a link to our site on her Facebook page (www.facebook.com/pages/N-Leah-Fink-Disability-Law-Offices/332882146833525?fref=ts). Thank you, Leah, for wanting to learn more about Scheuermann's Disease and helping those who need your expertise in Social Security Disability Cases in the Pittsburgh area!
Non-Profit/Charitable Organizations
The Setting Scoliosis Straight Foundation, formally known as Harms Study Group Foundation, is a not-for-profit charitable foundation that was established in 2008. Its purpose is to conduct fundraising efforts in support of the Harms Study Group, with a goal to further support and advance techniques in the treatment of spinal deformities in children and adolescents.
The surgeons who devote their time to the Harms Study Group remain focused on its commitment to be internationally recognized for the highest quality published research on new spinal deformity surgery techniques.
(We are working with The Setting Scoliosis Straight Foundation to potentially fund the first 2 comprehensive long-term studies on Scheuermann's Disease as the protocols are currently being written.)
PainPathways is the first, and only comprehensive pain magazine, published in spring 2008 It is the culmination of the vision of Richard L. Rauck, MD, to provide a shared resource for people living with and caring for others in pain. This quarterly resource not only provides in-depth information on current treatments, therapies and research studies but also connects people who live with pain, both personally and professionally.
Our Purpose: to inform and inspire readers
to define their best path to wellness.
On this journey, we welcome many partners — national pain organizations, support groups, top pain physicians and researchers, and is the official magazine of the World Institute of Pain.
The Scoliosis Association (UK)
The Scoliosis Association (UK) (SAUK) aims to provide advice, support and information to people with scoliosis and other spinal conditions, including kyphosis and lordosis.
SAUK has a variety of ways to support you - we run a dedicated helpline and hold an up-to-date list of scoliosis specialists in the UK. You can get further support by becoming a member, allowing access to the scoliosis contacts network, local support through Regional Representatives, access to the online members' forum, and our magazine, Backbone.
Supportive Companies
Kevin Baverso is the owner of Options in Graphics and has been a huge supporter of The Scheuermann's Disease Fund. He has created and developed all of our graphic design work, including our logo, shirts, and all of the promotional material for any fundraising event we have held. Kevin works tirelessly for the charity and will not accept a penny of profit from the work that he does. In over 25 years in the financial services industy, I have never seen a person more creative, more tuned in to his clients' needs, and more dedicated to making sure a project is finished on time, is accurate, and within budget. If any of you need any print or graphic design work, Kevin is your man. Companies out there, you will be fortunate to have him on your side as he will definitely give you an advantage in the marketplace.
Sharon Skittle is the owner of Urban Elements and has been a dear friend of mine since high school. She has supported The Scheuermann's Disease Fund since day one and is a tirelesss supporter of numerous other charities in the Pittsburgh area. Please, if you are enjoy yoga or spinning (I hear Sharon is a phenomenal instructor at both!!), give Urban Elements a try!
The Scheuermann’s Disease Fund, nor any of it’s volunteers or members, unless designated as such, do not have a licensed medical background or knowledge and none of the information contained in the website or said or written by its members in the site or any other medium, be it verbal or written, should not be construed as medical advice or recommendations. Any person searching for medical advice should do so by seeking a licensed medical professional.