Community Led. Community Strong.

How NTM and Bronchiectasis Support Groups Change Lives Around the World

A diagnosis of NTM (nontuberculous mycobacterial) lung disease or bronchiectasis can be overwhelming. Many patients spend months—or even years—searching for answers before finally receiving a diagnosis. Even then, questions remain.

What happens next?

Who truly understands what living with these diseases is like?

For thousands of patients and caregivers around the world, the answer is simple: community.

At NTM Info & Research (NTMir), our support groups provide more than educational resources. They offer a place where people can ask questions, share experiences, find encouragement, and realize they are not facing this journey alone.

More Than a Meeting

Today, NTMir supports more than 50 support groups worldwide, bringing together patients and caregivers across different countries, languages, and backgrounds.

Together, our volunteer leaders facilitate an average of 20 support group meetings every month, creating opportunities for meaningful conversations, trusted education, and lasting friendships.

As our community continues to grow, so do the ways we connect people. Over the past year, NTMir expanded its reach by launching both a Spanish-speaking Support Group and a dedicated Men’s Support Group, ensuring that even more individuals can find a space where they feel understood.

Every meeting reminds participants that while their diagnosis may be rare, they are never alone.

Meet the Leaders Behind the Community

Every support group is made possible by volunteers who generously share their time, compassion, and lived experience.

Graham: Turning Fear Into Hope

Nineteen years ago, Graham was diagnosed with bronchiectasis. Six years later, he received a diagnosis of NTM lung disease. Like many patients, he remembers the uncertainty and isolation that came with hearing those words.

Today, Graham co-leads NTMir’s International Support Group alongside fellow volunteers Mairéad and Siobhan, welcoming newly diagnosed patients from around the world.

“I love helping someone who is as scared as I was. I want to put them at ease.”

For Graham, every meeting is an opportunity to provide the reassurance he once needed himself.

Ivette: Building Community Through Language

Growing up in a small town in Puerto Rico, Ivette learned that community meant helping one another whenever possible.

Years later, after being diagnosed with bronchiectasis, she discovered NTMir through an educational pamphlet that helped her better understand her diagnosis.

When NTMir began looking for a Spanish-speaking support group leader, Ivette knew she wanted to give back.

Today, she co-leads our Spanish-speaking Support Group, helping patients and caregivers connect in their native language while navigating the challenges of NTM lung disease and bronchiectasis.

As Ivette explains:

“The more I know, the more I can help others and myself.”

She believes peer support is powerful because “we are all in the same boat,” learning from one another every step of the way.

What Your Support Makes Possible

Behind every successful support group is a network of resources that helps volunteer leaders focus on what matters most: supporting patients and caregivers.

Donations to NTMir help provide:

Zoom platform access and technical assistance for virtual meetings

Ongoing leadership training, mentoring, and educational resources

Translation services and outreach to underserved and multilingual communities

Recognition and appreciation programs for volunteer support group leaders

Resources that help expand support groups into new communities around the world

These investments ensure that every leader has the tools needed to continue serving patients with compassion, confidence, and reliable information.

Why Support Groups Matter

Research and patient experience consistently show that connection improves the healthcare journey.

Support groups can help patients:

Feel less isolated after diagnosis

Learn practical tips from others living with the disease

Better understand treatment options and airway clearance routines

Gain confidence when speaking with their healthcare team

Build lasting friendships with people who truly understand their experiences

For caregivers, support groups also provide encouragement, education, and a community that understands the challenges of caring for someone with chronic lung disease.

Community Led. Community Strong.

Every support group begins with someone willing to say, “You’re not alone.”

Our volunteer leaders dedicate countless hours each month to ensuring patients have a place to turn for education, understanding, and hope.

Their impact reaches far beyond a single meeting.

It reaches families.

Communities.

Countries.

And every person who leaves a meeting feeling a little less alone than when they arrived.

Together, we are building a stronger global community for everyone affected by NTM lung disease and bronchiectasis.

If you’d like to help us continue this work, please consider making a donation to support NTMir’s volunteer Support Group Leaders. Your generosity helps provide the training, technology, educational resources, and community connections that make these life-changing support groups possible.

Because behind every meeting is a leader.

And behind every leader is a community that cares.

Community Led. Community Strong.
How NTM and Bronchiectasis Support Groups Change Lives Around the World
A diagnosis of NTM (nontuberculous mycobacterial) lung disease or bronchiectasis can be overwhelming. Many patients spend months—or even years—searching for answers before finally receiving a diagnosis. Even then, questions remain.
What happens next?
Who truly understands what living with these diseases is like?
For thousands of patients and caregivers around the world, the answer is simple: community.
At NTM Info & Research (NTMir), our support groups provide more than educational resources. They offer a place where people can ask questions, share experiences, find encouragement, and realize they are not facing this journey alone.
More Than a Meeting
Today, NTMir supports more than 50 support groups worldwide, bringing together patients and caregivers across different countries, languages, and backgrounds.
Together, our volunteer leaders facilitate an average of 20 support group meetings every month, creating opportunities for meaningful conversations, trusted education, and lasting friendships.
As our community continues to grow, so do the ways we connect people. Over the past year, NTMir expanded its reach by launching both a Spanish-speaking Support Group and a dedicated Men’s Support Group, ensuring that even more individuals can find a space where they feel understood.
Every meeting reminds participants that while their diagnosis may be rare, they are never alone.
Meet the Leaders Behind the Community
Every support group is made possible by volunteers who generously share their time, compassion, and lived experience.
Graham: Turning Fear Into Hope
Nineteen years ago, Graham was diagnosed with bronchiectasis. Six years later, he received a diagnosis of NTM lung disease. Like many patients, he remembers the uncertainty and isolation that came with hearing those words.
Today, Graham co-leads NTMir’s International Support Group alongside fellow volunteers Mairéad and Siobhan, welcoming newly diagnosed patients from around the world.
“I love helping someone who is as scared as I was. I want to put them at ease.”
For Graham, every meeting is an opportunity to provide the reassurance he once needed himself.
Ivette: Building Community Through Language
Growing up in a small town in Puerto Rico, Ivette learned that community meant helping one another whenever possible.
Years later, after being diagnosed with bronchiectasis, she discovered NTMir through an educational pamphlet that helped her better understand her diagnosis.
When NTMir began looking for a Spanish-speaking support group leader, Ivette knew she wanted to give back.
Today, she co-leads our Spanish-speaking Support Group, helping patients and caregivers connect in their native language while navigating the challenges of NTM lung disease and bronchiectasis.
As Ivette explains:
“The more I know, the more I can help others and myself.”
She believes peer support is powerful because “we are all in the same boat,” learning from one another every step of the way.
What Your Support Makes Possible
Behind every successful support group is a network of resources that helps volunteer leaders focus on what matters most: supporting patients and caregivers.
Donations to NTMir help provide:
Zoom platform access and technical assistance for virtual meetings
Ongoing leadership training, mentoring, and educational resources
Translation services and outreach to underserved and multilingual communities
Recognition and appreciation programs for volunteer support group leaders
Resources that help expand support groups into new communities around the world
These investments ensure that every leader has the tools needed to continue serving patients with compassion, confidence, and reliable information.
Why Support Groups Matter
Research and patient experience consistently show that connection improves the healthcare journey.
Support groups can help patients:
Feel less isolated after diagnosis
Learn practical tips from others living with the disease
Better understand treatment options and airway clearance routines
Gain confidence when speaking with their healthcare team
Build lasting friendships with people who truly understand their experiences
For caregivers, support groups also provide encouragement, education, and a community that understands the challenges of caring for someone with chronic lung disease.
Community Led. Community Strong.
Every support group begins with someone willing to say, “You’re not alone.”
Our volunteer leaders dedicate countless hours each month to ensuring patients have a place to turn for education, understanding, and hope.
Their impact reaches far beyond a single meeting.
It reaches families.
Communities.
Countries.
And every person who leaves a meeting feeling a little less alone than when they arrived.
Together, we are building a stronger global community for everyone affected by NTM lung disease and bronchiectasis.
If you’d like to help us continue this work, please consider making a donation to support NTMir’s volunteer Support Group Leaders. Your generosity helps provide the training, technology, educational resources, and community connections that make these life-changing support groups possible.
Because behind every meeting is a leader.
And behind every leader is a community that cares.