Incorporated in 1991:
The Association of Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders, Inc. (AGMD), is one of the oldest non-profit organizations in existence with a focus on digestive motility diseases and disorders. The organization is most unique in that it is an international organization, which brings together patients, family members, physicians, nurses, basic science and clinical researchers, pharmaceutical and diagnostic professionals, home health care workers, dietitians, biotech industrialists, other organizations, and those in the community interested in digestive motility diseases and disorders through a variety of resources and programs. It is an organization, which focuses on education, the dissemination of information, advocacy, outreach, research, and support.
AGMD is also one of the first non-profit organizations to hold a symposium focused on digestive motility disorders with a distinguished panel of experts speaking to an audience consisting of patients, family members, friends, and members of the medical and scientific communities. This milestone event took place in 1997. Many organizations have followed this pattern finding it a great way to learn and bring voice to those interested in digestive motility. AGMD worked with the University of Kansas Medical Center in order to provide continuing education credit for the programs. The AGMD Digestive Motility Symposia have received the prestigious endorsements of both the American College of Gastroenterology and the American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society.
How AGMD Got Started:
AGMD was started by a long-time patient who after many years of misdiagnosis, was finally found to have chronic idiopathic intestinal pseudo-obstruction. Over the years, her disease has progressed to include her entire digestive tract, resulting in, gastroparesis, diffuse esophageal spasm, achalasia, gastroesophageal reflux disease, dysphagia, esophagitis, and a myriad of other diseases and medical conditions affecting her neurological, muscular, circulatory, skeletal and endocrine systems. As a result of her journey with disease, she has been privileged to dedicate her life to AGMD and her quest in finding answers, providing assistance, disseminating education, creating a support system, advocating for research, and bringing together medical professionals with patients and their families, in order to gain a better understanding of this specialized area of gastroenterology.