About TNA Australia Support Groups

Support Groups are the backbone of our organisation because they allow sufferers to meet and gain access to help and hope.

In 2000 the inaugural Support Group was formed in Sydney, prior to the incorporation of our organisation in 2003. The idea was offer to provide information, support and encouragement to people afflicted with trigeminal neuralgia and other facial pains, as well as to help their families and friends understand this medical disorder. Knowledge is power and understanding can be the greatest support.

In 2022 ten Support Groups affiliated with our organisation, are spread across South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. A Support Group once operated out of the ACT.  In the west a number of sufferers formed a separate incorporated body, Trigeminal Neuralgia Western Australia. Why ten groups?  Why not more?  If you don’t have a Support Group in your area what can you do to get one going?  Email on  members@tnaaustralia.org.au  to express an interest, ask some questions and have a chat about Support Groups and all the possible options for you or another person to get one underway.

Ten areas of Australia have  a Support Group Leader who connects with the sufferers in their own geographic area. From time to time each Leader organises either a face-to-face or an online (Zoom) meeting in/from a central location and all sufferers, their carers and friends in that area or region are invited to attend.  Occasionally a specialist, in a medical or dental field that is relevant to trigeminal neuralgia, joins the meeting and shares his or her expertise and encourages questions. On other occasions, a video might be screened showing various treatments and surgeries.  Alternatively, sufferers might, one by one, share their memories about when their pain started, how they were diagnosed, and which treatments they have tried. On all occasions these meetings are very informal so that everyone can get the most out of them. And no-one is expected to speak if they are in pain or shy.  The meetings are safe places for learning, and sharing information.

In addition to running gatherings,  Support Group Leaders talk with sufferers and their carers by phone, communicate with text messages, via one-on-one online Zoom meetings and through email exchanges, depending on the circumstances and the needs of individuals.

The Objective of our Support Groups is to provide information, support and encouragement to sufferers, their families and supporters. Our Mission is to promote awareness of trigeminal neuralgia and other facial pain amongst patients, families, the community and the medical and dental professionals who treat them. Our Goal is to encourage a unified understanding and improved approach to treatments of Trigeminal Neuralgia and other facial nerve pains at a local, state and national level and to improve treatments and approaches to pain management. Our Vision is to improve the quality of life and treatment of chronic facial pain sufferers locally, nationally and internationally.

Admission to ALL support group meetings is FREE. A donation at the door is always appreciated.

If you haven’t made contact with a Support Group Leader, I recommend you check the list below and send an email or give one a call – for a phone chat to gather trigeminal neuralgia related information or to find out about a meeting. If there isn’t one in your area email members@tnaaustralia.org.au and ask about how one might be established somewhere around you.

“you are not alone”

Upcoming Support Group Meetings

Due to Covid19 restrictions regular support group meetings may be cancelled or postponed please check with your support group leader to confirm the status of the meeting. Known cancellations have been removed from the Events list below.

July 2022

June 2022 < July 2022 > August 2022

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
					1	2 Tasmania Support Group Meeting  10:00 AM AEST
3	4	5	6	7	8	9
10	11	12	13	14	15	16
17	18	19	20	21	22	23
24	25	26 Committee Meeting via Zoom  7:00 PM AEST	27 Webinar - Arun Aggarwal  8:00 PM AEST	28	29	30
31

June 2022 < July 2022 > August 2022

Month/Year /Go

Tasmania Support Group Meeting

Saturday July 2, 2022 10:00 AM AEST

Support Group Meeting by request, face to face or via zoom

Contact Helen Tyzack using tassietnfpgroup@gmail.com

RSVP deadline is past

Event Types: Support Group

Posted by Lynette Donnelly on July 1, 2022

Committee Meeting via Zoom

Tuesday July 26, 2022 7:00 PM AEST

 

Committee meeting held via zoom

Chair  – Lyn Donnelly

Attendees invited

Helen Tyzack

Kathy Meredith

Nora English

Sarah Wilkinson

Peter Gough

Angelo Trovato

RSVP deadline is past

Event Types: Committee Meeting

Posted by Lynette Donnelly on July 7, 2022

Webinar – Arun Aggarwal

Wednesday July 27, 2022 8:00 PM AEST

 

Webinar

Chaired by Liam Caffery

When Trigeminal neuralgia pain is too much: presenting to the emergency department for pain management

Topic: Prof Arun Aggarwal
Time: Jul 27, 2022 07:30 PM Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86018599789?pwd=VzQ2NjFUOVFpUTJRQzVPanVjVHh3UT0

Meeting ID: 860 1859 9789
Passcode: 841161

 

RSVP deadline is past

Event Types: Webinar

Posted by Lynette Donnelly on July 24, 2022

Gold Coast Support Group

Saturday August 6, 2022 1:30 PM AEST

 

The Meeting Rooms, Bungalows Residential Park, 325 Ready Creek Road, Burleigh Heads, QLD

Contact Peter Gough: 0414 233044

RSVP deadline is past

Posted by Lynette Donnelly on December 16, 2021

Tassie Support Group Meeting

Sunday August 7, 2022 10:00 AM AEST

 

details to be announced

RSVP deadline is past

Posted by Lynette Donnelly on June 23, 2022

Sydney Support Group

Saturday August 13, 2022 10:00 AM AEST to 12:00 PM AEST

 

St James Parish Hall Level 1, 165 Phillips Street, Sydney, 2000

If unable to attend physically please still RSVP with a note to get Zoom Video Conferencing details emailed to you.

Cost: A gold coin donation is welcome.

Shane Thein: 0407 106 470

RSVP deadline is past

Posted by Shane Thein on January 13, 2022

Melbourne Support Group

Saturday August 13, 2022 1:30 PM AEST

 

Maroondah Federation Estate, 32 Greenwood Avenue, Ringwood, 3134 – Meeting room 4

Cost: A gold coin donation is welcome.  Please bring a snack/plate to share if you can

Emelye Lovell: 0400 004 110

Alan Collard: 0408 936 231

RSVP deadline is past

Posted by Lynette Donnelly on December 16, 2021

Brisbane Support Group

Saturday August 13, 2022 1:30 PM AEST

30 Ridley Road,  Bridgeman Downs QLD 4035, Australia

Join Us Contact: Tony MacPherson Tel: 0403 290 066

RSVP deadline is past

Posted by Lynette Donnelly on December 16, 2021

Adelaide Support Group

Sunday August 14, 2022 1:30 PM AEST

 

Trinity Gardens Bowling Club, Albermarle St Trinity Gardens.

Join Us – Contact: Adrian Daniel – 0438 795 664

RSVP deadline is past

Posted by Lynette Donnelly on December 16, 2021

Committee Meeting – Aug 2022

Tuesday August 30, 2022 7:00 PM AEST

 

Committee Meeting held via Zoom

Chair Lyn Donnelly

Committee

Helen Tyzack

Kathy Meredith

Nora English

Peter Gough

Angelo Trovato

Sarah Wilkinson

Meeting Link

RSVP deadline is past

Event Types: Committee Meeting

Posted by Lynette Donnelly on August 12, 2022

Our mission is to provide support and encouragement to sufferers of Trigeminal Neuralgia and related facial pain. All material provided on the TNA Australia website is for information purposes only; to supplement a reader’s general knowledge.

Read the full disclaimer and website policy