[bostoncure.org] Status since last reported on 1/20/03

[Art Mellor]

Boston Cure Project informal status since last reported on 1/20/03:

>>> Joining/Leaving Us This Month

o Over January we were fortunate to have intern Anu Bhimavarapu join
  us from MIT; she helped update our MS genetics spreadsheet and
  started Phase 1 of the Nutrition track.

o We're doing due diligence on a new Board of Advisors member, more on
  that next month.

>>> Cure Map

o The final Phase 2 Genetics documents are finished and have been
  posted to our web site.  We are now forging ahead with Phase 2 of
  the Infectious Agents track.  Hollie attended an informative seminar
  on microbial pathogenesis to get into the proper mindset.
  http://www.bostoncure.org/curemap/docs.php

o We also continued to make progress with Entelos on building a
  consortium for MS computer modeling, including working on the
  contractual documents and developing the scientific advisory board.

o Our Tissue Bank proposal was provisionally approved in December, we
  made the suggested modifications and it is being re-reviewed on
  March 1st.

>>> Fundraising

o Melissa completed the 2004 development plan outlining our fundraising goals 
  and activities for the coming year.

o We successfully completed the January appeal mailing to a total of 863 
  people and the effort has already yield more than $1600 in contributions.

o The Water Cove Lead Gift Matching Challenge is off to a great start
  with $15K in matching gifts already in and just $60K more to go to
  meet the full $75K challenge.  Make a lead gift or pledge of $1,000
  or more by July 1 to help us meet this goal.

o Melissa and Art met with a representative from Secure Sponsorship, a
  company providing web tools to help individuals solicit charitable
  sponsorships, and discussed how their solutions might facilitate
  some of our upcoming events.

>>> Education

o Stephanie Sisto is compiling the UK MS Society 2003 research dollar
  information.  She is also normalizing the data for the NMSS, NIH and
  the UK MS Society so direct comparisons can be made.

o Volunteer Jennifer Frashure is helping us get a MS research review
  newsletter going. This will take a little while before we have
  something publishable, but the idea is to collect the latest MS
  research publications, sort them into categories, and provide some
  editorial analysis of them.

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. There is now a link to
  MSNews on our main menu at our web site.

>>> Community Building

o A few more T-shirt pictures are available:
  http://www.bostoncure.org/events/tshirt.php

o Visited the Core Connections support group again.

o Meetings with folks from Teva including Uri Dreckshage and Lisa
  Barker to talk about ways we can work together.

o We contacted T-Gen, a transitional genomics organization in Arizona
  that is working on some MS research.

o We contacted the Immune Tolerance Network about their activities and
  resources for autoimmune disease research, and plan to meet with
  them in person soon.

>>> Events

o We have been selected to be the recipient of the cover charge ($5)
  at the latest Improper Bostonian event tomorrow. Details here:
  http://www.bostoncure.org/events/eventpages/20040218_improper.php

o Save the Date: The 3rd Annual 'Hunt to Cure MS' Scavenger Hunt will
  be held on May 22nd. Stay tuned for details.

o Hollie and Art have finalized their plans to attend the American
  Academy of Neurology in San Francisco this April.

o Event planning is already underway for all of our major 2004 events 
  including our golf tournament, scavenger hunt, fourth annual Boston Cure 
  Party, and concert.  Dates for these events will be announced shortly.

>>> Operations

o The Annual Report text was completed and is at the graphic
  designers - Clockwork Design Group.

>>> Volunteer Efforts that have been reported since last time

Admin
 - Susan Mellor
Appeal Mailing
 - Anne Reed
 - Anthony O'Shea
 - Brian Mellor
Interns
 - Anupama Bhimavarapu
 - Stephanie Sisto
Pharma DB
 - Belinda Vandervoort
Advice
 - David Hirschberg
Donor DB
 - David Kaffine
Accounting
 - Debbie Frattaroli
 - Jill McGaffigan
Annual Report
 - Debbie Mellor
 - Frank Siteman
 - Jennifer Downing
 - Alan Weinstein
 - Lisa Desautels
 - Michael Polanik

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