Free Online Illness Workshops Cover Topics from Being a Babe to Blogging about Your Illness

September 10-16, 2007 is National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week and according to statistics, nearly half of Americans suffer from a chronic condition. How is that possible? 96% of them are invisible. Whether you are a young woman who still wants to feel like a babe, a mom who is trying to juggle her illness with parenthood, or one of the thousands who has taken up blogging about your illness, there is a free online workshop for you during Invisible Illness Week.

* "How to Be a ChronicBabe: Five Steps to Get You Started" will be a fun hour with Jenni Prokopy, founder of ChronicBabe.com. Her web site for young women with chronic illness is attracting awards for its quality content and down-to-earth style. Jenni will share her personal experience with chronic illness and encourage you on how to keep your "babe-hood" despite feeling yucky. Jenni’s attitude is truly authentic, as her home was destroyed just two weeks ago by a tornado, but she's still participating in Invisible Illness Week.

* "Blogging About Your Illness" will be presented by Sherril Johnson, an active blogger on the topic of invisible chronic illness that will leave you smiling or nodding in agreement. Her blog, http://theiciexperience.blogspot.com, is called "The Invisible Chronic Illness Experience."

* "Suffered Enough? Learn How to Create a Life You Truly Enjoy (even if you don't think you can) From a Life Coach Who Has Learned to Live Well with a Serious Chronic Illness." The title says it all! Don't miss this workshop by Tom Robinson, M.A., Chronic Illness Life Coach of Life Choices Life Changes, www.chronicillnesscoach.com.

* "Parenting When You Have a Chronic illness" is a topic Zona King is well-qualified to address, as her children ages 16-37; she is the grandmother of seven granddaughters and soon to have her first grandson. Zona is the founder of several Christian e-lists, http://zonas-zone.blogspot.com, on a variety of topics relating to chronic illness. Twenty-seven years ago while pregnant with her fourth child she was exposed to a pesticide by aerial spraying of nearby orchard, causing her baby boy to be born with birth defects and live only six days. Her own health deteriorated and she was eventually diagnosed with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and Fibromyalgia (FM). Her experience and joy will encourage you.

* "Time Management and Chronic Illness" with Karen Whiting, author of a variety of books, will help you learn to effectively prioritize what comes first in your chaotic life of illness. Learning great time management skills can help you make sure you have time for your family, doctor’s appointments, and yes, even those naps!

Workshops are free chat sessions Sept 10-14, 2007. See dates and times at www.invisibleillness.com . Guests will present for about forty minutes and then accept questions from attendees. Transcripts will be available in October. Many guests are donating free items or services.
National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week was founded in 2002 by Lisa Copen and is held annually in September and is sponsored by HopeKeepers Magazine and Rest Ministries, Inc. Other sponsors for 2007 are Chronique Couture, www.relieve-migraine-headache.com , and DePaul University Chronic Illness Initiative.

The 2007 theme is “Invisible Illness is a roller coaster. Help a friend hold on!” T-shirts, static clings for car windows, silicone bracelets, books, and more awareness items are available at www.invisibleillness.com or call 888-751-7378. Sign up for the Invisible Illness Week ezine “Update” and receive the first 40 pages of Copen’s book, Beyond Casseroles: 505 Ways to Encourage a Chronically Ill Friend.

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