Gayla McCord has been very active in the world of STD’s since 1998.  Having heard many concerns, answered many questions and generated a great deal of research to support her answers has lead her on a journey of advocacy on many levels.

Currently she is a Certified HELP Group Advisor through the ASHA Support Program in Southern Indiana, and participated in the GSK Herpes Internet Advisory Board.  Over the last several years she has participated in Valtrex sales training forums where "The Patient's Perspective" is offered in attempt to help reps understand the benefits of their product.  Gayla is a listed member of the GSK Speaker's Bureau as The Lead Patient Advocate for Valtrex and participated in launch meetings of September 2003 by participating in a professional video of her own life accounts and statements pertaining to herpes.

Gayla assisted in the forming of several Social Support Groups across the U.S. as well as having been a Co-founder of Indy Friends Social Support Group. Many times she served as a virtual administrative assistant to Dr. H of Herpes.org.

Over the years Gayla's story has been published by several online organizations including Family World Wide* and appeared in the March 2001 issue of Marie Claire Magazine and will appear in Fitness Magazine in the March 2005 (on stands in February) and you can find Gayla featured in Dr. Ruth's new book - Dr. Ruth's Guide to Talking About Herpes.

The ongoing effort to provide Support, Education and Public Outreach continues via several venues including Stop Think & Decide. Gayla ended a 3.5-year career in Support and Public Outreach for a large online Herpes resource center to pursue further, more extensive measures through her own websites and dedication where no strings could be attached.  It wasn't long until Gayla joined forces with Angela of Yoshi2me on a mission to provide the most valuable and comprehensive STD information around.

In the fall of 2004 and along with several family members, Gayla launched Stop Think & Decide, a grassroots advocacy campaign to education teens on topics such as sex, pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and to provide support and advice to parents of teens.  Stop Think & Decide is committed to providing True and Uncensored information to teens to insure their sometimes awkward questions never go unanswered.

Gayla's true history with sexually transmitted diseases can be traced as far back as 1988 when she was employed by Boehringer Mannheim Corporation in Indianapolis (now Roche Diagnostics) where she was a staff assistant in STD Research and Development and Drugs of Abuse.

When Gayla is not advocating "the cause" she enjoys time with her husband whom she married in November 2003, her twin boys age 11 and her two dogs on a small rural farm in Indiana.

Other contributors to Stop Think & Decide are: Amanda Clendenin, Kim Clendenin, Angela S, Rusty McCord and countless others who were vocal in their opinions on what teens and parents may need.

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