Patient-exchange meetings allow LLC patients to talk to others with similar conditions or disease complications, providing mental and emotional support. When there is a lot of information to digest, Dr. Hughes feels that the best way for someone to really “hear” what they need to know is to get it from someone with first-hand experience. For Marcus, who was diagnosed with lupus before it had much media attention, the feelings of isolation were enormous. She appreciates being able to go into the LLC waiting room and know that everyone there is dealing with problems like hers. “If there is someone else there with a leaky aortic valve, she’ll talk with me and I won’t feel as alone as I once did,” says Marcus. “Having knowledge of your own condition and being able to make a connection with others at the Centre makes me feel like Robinson Crusoe finding his man Friday.”
Francine Kaplan is a medical journalist based in Georgia.
