Hello,

I am submitting a request for a list provider.

Objective:
I am currently seeking a listserv provider for my mailing list. My mailing
list is community-service oriented and is health-related.

Topic/Purpose:
The topics we discuss relate to healing, and holistic, mind/body/spirit
ideas, issues, experiences and therapies and how they can be applied to
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS).
I am hoping to expand the discussion to include application of these ideas
to illnesses such as Fibromyalgia (FM), Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS),
and related illnesses when I am able to automate the list.

Background:
A couple of weeks ago I set up a manual mailing list with about 7 people I
had corresponded with via email. I announced my list once on a related topic
list to see if there were others interested in participating, and I drew
more response than I had anticipated. My list, which has international
participation, currently has @ 40 members.

Most of the members of my list (and myself) are afflicted with CFS which
causes them extreme exhaustion and cognitive difficulties. As a result,
setting up and maintaining a manual mailing list is difficult for them. They
are disabled to varying degrees, several to the point of being totally
bedridden for months. As such, it is difficult for them to have access to
information other than via the internet. It is also difficult to find forums
to discuss holistic therapies, ideas, and experiences, and how they can be
used to help heal and deal with CFS. Numerous people on my list have
expressed that they have been looking for such a forum for quite awhile and
thanked me for setting it up.
Also included in the current list of members are several medical people
(physican, epidemiologist/CFS researcher, nurses...and possibly a 2nd yr
student in Traditional Chinese Medicine) which I feel is mutually beneficial
to both practitioner and patient.

List needs:
As my list is new and I am new to mailing lists, I am unable to state
specifically what all my needs are at the moment. I am not sure what the
volume will be; this second week the volume has ranged from @ 3 messages to
@ 20 messages in a day.  I am interested in having the list archived and a
digest version available. (A couple of members have already unsubbed until I
have the digest version available.) The list is open to the public and
geared to those interested in the topics discussed. I do not want the list
available for public viewing on the internet; only available through email
subscription. The only moderation I plan is geared toward discouraging ads
and flame wars.

I have a welcome and guidelines message prepared which I send out to new
members. I also have copies of most of the messages that have already been
exchanged.

I am not aware, nor has anyone in the group expressed knowledge of an
existing list with this focus. I am trying this method of seeking a list
provider as my ISP (ATT) does not provide this service, and I am unaware of
any others who will.

If I can provide further information, details, or samples of the type of
discussion being held, please let me know. As I do not follow this
discussion group, please email responses to [log in to unmask]

Your consideration is greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Diane Bocchino

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