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On July 29, 1999, I had an idea. It was the second anniversary of my "day of liberation" (AKA my unwiring), and as tradition would have it, I began wondering how I would celebrate. My final decision? To create a club where other orthognathic patients could meet in a common common goal: to learn from each other. I created the original club at Yahoo!, never really thinking it would take off. In fact, my boyfriend was my first member. Slowly but surely, the club evolved as more and more members joined. To date, that club has over 1,000 members and is still fully functioning and very popular. As a result of its creation, many spin-off groups have appeared all over the 'Net, helping and sharing stories and advice with scores of members.
What makes this club like no other is the participation of the members. While the other club required you to join, this one does not. This is a public access site, and to become a member, you need only to join a discussion thread at the message board, or begin a chat in the chatroom. There are no membership fees (nor was there at the Yahoo! Site) and there are no requirements for membership. The club is solely for you, the patient.
Over the years, Orthognathic Surgery Support has received many accolades by web hosts and medical professionals alike, even becoming the subject of a blurb in a major newspaper. The success of the club is no doubt attributed to the ever-growing interest in this important procedure.
There is no doubt in my mind that there is still a great need for education. Ignorance is by no means bliss. Far too many people have gone through the orthognathic process without being armed with the proper information. Without complete understanding of what is happening to our bodies, acceptance of the procedure and trusting in our doctors is virtually impossible. I believe anyone who visits the club will benefit from the posts and pictures shared here. As long as clubs and others like it exists, there shines a light.
--Brandi Clark, founder
Orthognathic Surgery Support.
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