Thyroid Eye Disease (TED) Online Support Groups
Join a supportive and informative online community for individuals dealing with thyroid eye disease. TED Online Support Groups provide a safe space for you to participate in a conversation about what you and others are going through as each navigates the TED journey. These one hour, peer-facilitated, and topic driven online groups use Zoom to connect our global community. You can choose to have your camera off or on. Come as you are. And wear sunglasses if that works best for you. You can simply listen in or share according to your comfort level.
To attend a TED Online Support Group, please fill out the form below to be added to our email list. We will keep you informed about future meet ups.
Because we are a community and not medical professionals, it is important to follow the guidelines of TED Online Support Groups as outlined below – click the plus sign.
The above TED eyes drawing is by Roseanne and is part of the INSIDE OUT TED ART project.
TED Online Peer Support – Join the Conversation
Friday, May 29 @ 1pm PT / 2pm MT / 3pm CT / 4pm ET
Please join us for a TED Community Peer Support Meet Up – a heartfelt, uplifting, and solution-oriented conversation about living with thyroid eye disease (TED) and Graves’ disease.
Below are the topics for the one-hour meeting that will take place on Zoom. (International participants welcomed!)
You can be on or off camera. This is a safe space so make yourself comfortable!
Scroll down and use the red button to access the ZOOM log in credentials.
Have a topic you want to discuss? Let us know: hello@tedcommunity.org
JOIN THE CONVERSATION!
Session Description:
TED Support Groups are topic-driven conversations dedicated to the most urgent and timely topics affecting those living with thyroid eye disease and Graves’ disease. These peer gatherings offer understanding, shared wisdom, and practical support from people who truly understand the journey.
Talking Points:
Opening Topic
A brief check-in to share what feels most present related to TED / Graves’ — a challenge, a win, a question, or simply how you are feeling today.
Why Stress Matters
Of course, we all have stress. It is part of living one’s life day to day. Things happen. Emotions arise. External and internal demands seem never-ending. Yet chronic stress is one of the primary drivers of inflamation. It triggers the immune system to release pro-inflammatory substances (like CRP and IL-6) and activates the sympathetic nervous system, which can lead to sustained, harmful inflammation linked to cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and autoimmune conditions, according to the NIH.
— Let’s talk about how to protect ourselves from chronic stress.
Your Health & Influencers
Seeking medical advice from influencers is highly prevalent, with approximately 40% of U.S. adults—and around half of those under 50—getting health and wellness information from social media influencers or podcasts. While many users find this content helpful, only about 4 in 10 such influencers have a background as a health professional according to Pew Research.
Last month, the American Medical Association launched a new podcast, “Health vs. Hype,” that aims to fact-check “wellness trends and health claims from influencers filling our social media feeds every day.”
https://www.ama-assn.org/press-center/ama-press-releases/ama-launches-health-vs-hype-podcast-series-iheartmedia
— With so many sources attempting to grab our attention, how do you decide where you get medical advice from?
Wherever you are in your TED journey, you are not alone. We learn from one another — and we heal together.
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Facilitators:
Chesna Duffy Adams
Chesna is an avid nature lover who spends more time than she cares to admit birding. She was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and Graves’ in 2013 and experienced little to no symptoms for over 10 years following a total thyroidectomy. After a Graves’ flare in early 2024, she was diagnosed with TED. Feeling scared and alone, she happened upon the TED Community Organization’s website, where she found understanding, community, and hope. Now, she wants to offer that same sense of support and safety to others living with TED.
Christine Gustafson
Christine Gustafson is the Founder, CEO, and Executive Director of the TED Community Organization, a global nonprofit dedicated to supporting those living with thyroid eye disease (TED). An “accidental leader,” Christine stepped into advocacy by simply trying to help fellow patients navigate the isolating and often overwhelming TED journey. Today, she leads an organization that is uniting patients, physicians, advocacy groups, and industry partners worldwide to foster education, support, and connection.
Susan Roberts, Pharm.D.
Dr. Roberts is a pharmacist living in Maine. She has worked in community pharmacy in Oklahoma and Maine, and worked during the pandemic administering vaccines to nursing homes and long-term care facilities. Diagnosed with TED in 2018, she struggled with symptoms and the search to find high quality disease information. The TED Community has filled that gap. She is delighted to help other patients along their journeys through monthly support groups and/or individual meetings.