Dystonia. Home sweet home.

Hello and a very warm welcome to you here on this site. I have now returned home from travelling around Britain. There is so much for me to write about in the coming weeks.

Recently I have received many emails from around the globe. Thank you all for sharing your lovely thoughts and also for caring. Through seeking information and greater understanding of our own medical condition it seems we become a family of like minded people. In this way we have formed our own little on-line support group.

Support from others who understand our individual challenges in life is very important to us all. We are able to collectivise our experience and so normalize our lifestyle. Just to know we are in each others thoughts is an empowering experience. We are spiritually or emotionally uplifted so feel empowered to move on through our day.

Thinking about empowerment, last week I attended the Dystonia Australia Patient Symposium in Sydney. What an experience this is. I refer to present tense because returning home feeling so connected to all in attendance removes the sense of geographical isolation resulting from living in such a large country. Our Dystonia Australia National Coordinator, Nicola Dawson, is an amazing young woman. Her dedication and commitment to people with dystonia enabled the conference to flow smoothly. Each presenter addressing the group with an incredible focus on their personal topics of professional interest. Congratulations to Nicola and all involved - including our dystonics, even some from New Zealand. We certainly gained from our travel from all around the ridges. Look out Kiwi Land - next year, here come the Aussies!

All that remains now is for me to get all these mind's eye images from brain to finger tips and blog away! So, until later in the week, a fond farewell.

Sue Bayliss. Cairns, Australia.