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Talk About Sleep launched in 2000 and has been successful in creating a caring community for all those looking for information and support regarding their sleep health and sleep disorders. One very special segment of our support community is our online chat program which is just one of the free services offered at Talk About Sleep. This valuable service would not work without the dedication of our volunteer chat host team.
Each chat host is selected very carefully. First and foremost, they must be a sleep disorder patient who has found successful physician prescribed therapeutic compliance. They must have a positive attitude and a willingness to help others by sharing their own experiences with caring and compassion. They participate in an online class room training program and then continue training live in our chat rooms. Upon graduation, they commit to hosting at least one 2 hour chat every week giving generously of their time to help their fellow man.
Our chat host team members are sleep disorder patients who have narcolepsy, sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, insomnia, parasomnias and fibromyalgia. Many of them came through our chat support program prior to their own diagnosis and are now successfully treated. They realized the importance of patient to patient support and have chosen to join our team in an effort to help others. Whatever your sleep issue, we probably have a chat host who has walked in your shoes and can share experiences, provide information and encouragement.
Our chat team currently numbers 18 devoted individuals who take their volunteer positions very seriously and make themselves available week in and week out. In their honor, and with gratitude for their service and dedication, we thank them. Each month we will feature one chat host and share their story with you. We think they deserve special recognition.
Have you been helped by our chat host team? If our chat program has been beneficial to you, a family member or friend, we would like to know! If you would like to single out a particular chat host who has made a positive impact in your sleep health, we'd like to know that too! Would you like to be considered to join our chat host team? Please email info@talkaboutsleep.com with "chat host" in the subject line.
All of our chat hosts are special to us, but TASjane was selected to be featured first because she was our first chat host. Her weekly 2 hour chat on Tuesday evenings is a favorite among our members. Jane has a background in nursing and education and so coupled with her own sleep disorder diagnoses, she is an incredible host. Her caring and compassion is obvious to all who visit her chat. Coupled with her medical background, she is able to provide a unique learning experience to our chat room participants. So generous of her time, TASjane has rarely missed a chat since she began hosting in the year 2000; thank you Jane, for your commitment to our sleep disorder community. Read More
Mali joined TAS early in 2000 after Dr. Jim and Tracy Nasca were invited to tour the Stanford Sleep Disorder Center. With TAS still in the development stage, she assisted in the early days as our marketing liaison as well as being one of our very first narcolepsy chat hosts when the web site launched. Mali is a true sleep disorder patient advocate and has one of the most compelling narcolepsy stories we have ever known. Mali and Tracy Nasca have teamed on occasion to share their patient stories at the podium to patient groups. Hearing her tell her story is a riveting experience. You may have seen Mali on television as she has been the subject of more than one documentary feature about narcolepsy and cataplexy. Although extremely well versed in all sleep disorders, her experiences living with narcolepsy makes her a valuable and much appreciated part of the TAS team. Read More
It has been our pleasure to have TASjoe as part of our chat host team. We all came to know Joe first as a frequent participant in our chat rooms. It became quite clear that Joe was a successful CPAP user and was eager to share his experiences with the other participants. You see, Joe was an admitted stubborn man who denied his apnea condition for a long time. He credits his caring wife for his eventual diagnosis. Like so many, once CPAP treatment worked, it changed his life. Joe wanted to encourage other stubborn people in denial to seek diagnosis as well as helping to encourage the newly diagnosed to work hard at finding compliance. Joe was so helpful to others that he was soon asked to join the TAS chat host team. He remains a vocal and inspirational sleep apnea advocate. Join in TASjoe's chat on Monday evenings. Read More
It's no wonder TASokie found CPAP compliance so quickly, I have never met anyone who had such a determination and positive attitude as this wonderful woman who proudly calls herself TASokie! I'll bet you can guess where she hails from! Okie found talkaboutsleep.com early in 2000 when she began searching for answers to her profound sleepiness and newly diagnosed OSA condition. The educational material on our web site led her to our chat rooms for additional information. She was not shy in asking questions and was eager to share her experiences with other OSA patients in the chat room. She found CPAP success quickly and because of her eagerness to help others, she was asked to join our chat host team in 2001. Read More
When Quacky appeared in our chat room in 2003, it was obvious that she was searching for answers to her snoring and sleepiness. Eventually diagnosed with Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS) she helped open the door to discussion of this sleep disorder which is quite common but not often understood. Quacky is the wife of a preacher, the mother of two young children and a Special Education teacher. She brings joy to our chats, understands the frustrations of sleepy people and with encouragement, promotes the importance of patient education. She is a breath of fresh air and eager to help fellow patients. We are so fortunate to have her as part of the TAS chat host team. Please join in her Friday evening chat 8-10pm eastern. Read More
Introduced to TASshazzz early in 2000, she was among the first to say "yes" to joining our chat host team. A young woman with classic narcolepsy including severe cataplexy, she had been forced into a sort of early retirement from her position as a CPA. A wife and mother of two young boys would have been enough to keep anyone's life busy, with or without a sleep disorder. She told me she felt a responsibility and desire to help support other patients with narcolepsy; there was so little information available on the internet at that time. I was so impressed with her attitude and sense of commitment; she was a perfect fit for our talk about sleep support programs. She has been a leader within our chat host team and tireless advocate for her fellow narcolepsy patients. Read More
This page features the personal stories of Talk About Sleep chat hosts we are highlighting on a monthly basis. To see all of our chat hosts, visit our chat host page.