Jerilyn Ross, Leader of Anxiety Disorders Association of America, Dies
Jerilyn Ross, cofounder and president of the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, died of cancer on Jan. 7. She was a tireless advocate and a voice for millions of adults and children living with panic attacks, phobias, OCD and other anxiety disorders.
Silver Spring, MD (PRWEB) January 17, 2010
Jerilyn Ross, a longtime mental health advocate and president of the Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA), died January 7 at age 63 after a courageous battle with neuroendocrine cancer.
Ross dedicated her career to treating those with panic attacks, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and PTSD. She spoke openly about her own experiences living with fears, panic attacks, and height phobia. After receiving treatment for her anxiety and phobia, she cofounded the Anxiety Disorders Association of America in 1979.
ADAA (www. adaa. org) is a national organization that has helped millions learn about anxiety disorders and find treatment; she was president and CEO from 1989 until her death. Ross spoke out for the more than 40 million adults and children with an anxiety disorder. Thanks to her personal understanding of the crippling and devastating impact these disorders can have on sufferers and their loved ones, she worked as a tireless spokesperson for improved treatment, better scientific understanding of the disorders, and enhanced training for health professionals.
As a psychotherapist, Ross treated thousands through her practice, The Ross Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders, in Washington, D. C. She hosted a weekly radio talk show in the Washington, D. C., area from 1987-1992. She authored One Less Thing to Worry About: Uncommon Wisdom for Coping with Common Anxieties (2009) with Robin Cantor-Cooke and Triumph Over Fear: A Book of Help and Hope for People with Anxiety, Panic Attacks, and Phobias (1995).
Her funeral was held January 11 at Washington Hebrew Congregation in Washington, D. C. The family requested that memorial donations be made to ADAA, 8730 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20910.
The Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention, treatment, and cure of anxiety disorders and to improving the lives of all people who suffer from them. Visit www. adaa. org.
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