[bostoncure.org] Status since last reported on 1/14/03

[Art Mellor]

Boston Cure Project informal status since last reported on 1/14/03:

>>> Fundraising

*** WE NEED YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS ***

The Watercove Charitable Foundation has graciously offered to match
any contributions we get beyond those contributed last year, up to a
total of $50,000 until the end of April. If you contributed $50 last
year and contribute $200 this year, $150 is matched so the total
contribution to us is $350. If your company matches, it is even more! 

Remember, you can support our efforts by contributing:
http://www.bostoncure.org/default.php?nav=involved

o Melissa joined fundraising organizations AFP (Assoc. of Fundraising
  Professionals) and WID (Women in Development).  Attended first WID
  seminar on capital campaigns

>>> Joining Us This Month

Since our last report we've had a couple of additions:

o Hillary Stanton completed her January "externship" from MIT, having
  helped us with the Cure Map research and is now back in school.

o George Peabody has joined our Board of Directors, replacing Fred
  Marx who is moving to our Board of Advisors. George's bio is
  available here:
  http://www.bostoncure.org/default.php?nav=bcp&topic=people&bio=GeorgePeabody
  George and his family have been running the Anna Peabody Fund:
  http://www.annapeabody.org

>>> Cure Map

o We posted the phase 2 documents on chromosomal abnormalities and
  mitochondrial DNA mutations to the web site
  http://www.bostoncure.org/resources/downloads/phase2-genetics-chromosomal-abnormalities.pdf
  http://www.bostoncure.org/resources/downloads/phase2-genetics-mitochondrial-dna.pdf

o Finished the first draft of the phase 2 documents on spontaneous
  mutations and inherited genes - to go up shortly

o Hillary finished her internship, producing an article on MS and
  allergies which will appear in an upcoming newsletter

o The NIH published a document on the strategy for addressing
  autoimmune diseases that supports taking a path just like we have
  been advocating:
  http://msnews.bostoncure.org/article.pl?sid=03/01/13/1221239&mode=nested

>>> Education

o The MSNews server was upgraded to a faster machine thanks to Brian Del
  Vecchio. 

o Rip Kinkel and I talked about some educational opportunites at the
  learning center at the BI - hopefully we can turn that into
  something real for people with MS.

o MSNews (http://msnews.bostoncure.org) continues to run daily updates
  on MS related items. If you come across anything MS related and new
  on the web, please submit it to our site.

o Progress on the newly diagnosed brochure is proceeding rapidly, with
  the first draft being nearly complete

>>> Community Building

o The big news this past month was our appearance in the Boston
  Globe. This generated a huge response in terms of people calling in,
  emailing, writing, and signing up for our mailing lists. It can stil
  be viewed on line (for now) here:
  http://bostonworks.boston.com/globe/transitions/

o Our 2002 Annual Report and Winter newsletter are currently at the
  printers. If you'd like to see them before they go out, you can
  download PDF versions from our web site:
  http://www.bostoncure.org/default.php?nav=news&topic=documents

o We are finally listed as an MS resource by the NIH! Check us out at:
  http://www.ninds.nih.gov/find_people/organizations_index.htm#b Due
  to our alphabetic ranking, we are the first MS organization in the
  printed publication :-)

o We got to meet with Wendy Wolfson, the woman with MS who climbed
  Mt. McKinley. We're talking about how she can get more involved with
  us.

o BU's AdLab program will be helping us develop some marketing
  materials. It is a nonprofit (for credit) program that has
  communications majors helping nonprofit with advertising and
  communications.

o Had a long talk with Scott Johnson of the Myelin Repair Foundation - a
  similar group to Boston Cure Project but working on the repair rather
  than cure side of things. Check it out at http://www.myelinrepair.org
  In addition, Hollie attended a seminar held by the Michael J. Fox
  Foundation for Parkinson's Research.

o Talked to Dave Wilmot of the Weymouth MS cluster project you may have
  read about.

o Anna Peabody was filmed for the Today Show, but her segment didn't
  make it on the air. Her mother, Nancy Kaplan, actually got a few
  words on screen however.

o I had a long talk with Jackie Waldman of http://www.couragetogive.com
  and submitted something for consideration in her next book.

o Melissa and Art went and met with State Senator Berry's chief of staff
  at the State House.

o We met with Michael French of Entelos to talk more about how we
  might get industry to pitch in to develop a model for MS. Entelos
  makes computer models of diseases that can aid in speeding up the
  drug discovery process.

o We met with Kevin and Gary Baker of Neurological Models, a
  company that creates animal models for neurological diseases.

>>> Events

o The Scavenger Hunt will be run again in May. We need volunteers!
  Please come to the kick-off meeting or send mail to Lisa Sargeant at
  lisa at bostoncure.org saying you'd like to help.
  http://www.bostoncure.org/pipermail/bcp-volunteer/2003-February/000027.html

>>> Volunteer Efforts

Annual Report
 - Clockwork Design Group
 - Frank Siteman
 - Pride Printers
 - Mail Perfect
 - Krista & Lauren Milne, Maggie Harling, Anna Peabody, Sue Mellor (models)

Newsletter
 - Shari Agatstein
 - Savannah Bashaw
 - Thomas Blackadar
 - Steve Bowler
 - Jeanne Connerney
 - Maria Gjonaj
 - Dr. Rip Kinkel
 - Sean Langan
 - Marcie Lascher
 - Nikki Lessin-Joseph
 - Sue Mellor
 - Wendy Menning
 - Krista Milne
 - Lisa Sargeant

Volunteer Staff
 - Sue Mellor
 - Krista Milne

Newly Diagnosed Brochure
 - Maggie Harling
 - Cynthia King
 - Lisa Paine

MSNews
 - Brian Del Vecchio

Web Site Upgrade
 - Theresa Hahn

Scavenger Hunt
 - Lisa Sargeant
  
Database help
 - Mark Dombeck

Future Symposium Concept
 - Gail Martino

Fundraising
 - Betsy Campbell