The concept of a Family Support Group (FSG) is based on the idea that open communication about the illness is critical to coping with all the feelings that arise.  With appropriate professional guidance, patients and family members discuss their anxieties with each other and with other patients and families who share the same burden.  This sharing of ideas and feelings serves to strengthen the connection between patients and their loved ones, thereby enhancing their ability to cope with the disease, and strengthening the family unit.