[acp-status] status for the month of March 2007:

[Art Mellor]

Accelerated Cure Project informal status for the month of March 2007:

Information on our other mailing lists is at the bottom of this message.

>>> Joining/Leaving Us This Month

o Audrey Bedrock, a student at Babson College, completed her volunteer
  work with us and is now embarking on an internship.

>>> Research

Repository:

o We have collected samples from 393 subjects at 5 enrolling centers

o Our oversight committee approved the distribution of samples to Drs. 
  Viktor Stolc of NASA and Ben Greenberg of Johns Hopkins for a study of 
  human and pathogenic gene markers in MS.

o Hollie was invited to address the 3rd annual meeting of BioMS, a 
  European consortium formed to improve the quality of biomarker research 
  in MS.  She gave a talk about our repository and in turn gained a better 
  understanding of common CSF collection and storage practices.

o We invite you visit our new repository web site at 
  http://www.acceleratedcure.org/repository/
  which contains expanded information about this resource.

Other scientific projects:

o Hollie and Art recently caught up with our scientific advisors Vince 
  Macaluso and Fred Vinick.

>>> Fundraising

o We received a $50,000 grant from John Hancock Long Term Care
  Insurance per the company's commitment to making Accelerated Cure
  Project its nonprofit partner again in 2007.

o Accelerated Cure Project's Annual Appeal was mailed out on time
  thanks to the help of our wonderful volunteers.  Watch your mailbox
  for the Accelerated Cure Project envelope containing a special
  letter from President Art Mellor about how you can support
  determining the causes of MS by making an annual gift.
  http://www.acceleratedcure.org/about/contribute.php

>>> Education

o Volunteer Jen Tobin has written, and Clockwork Design Group has
  produced a new document - Introduction to Neuroanatomy

  PDF:
  http://www.acceleratedcure.org/downloads/acp-neuroanat.pdf

  HTML:
  http://www.acceleratedcure.org/msresources/neuroanatomy/

o We've put up HTML versions of our two previous booklets, "So You
  Have MS...What's Next?" and "Working with MS"

  http://www.acceleratedcure.org/msresources/whatsnext/
  http://www.acceleratedcure.org/msresources/wwms/

o We're polling MSNews readers on their birth month - some studied
  have found a correlation between MS and birth month. If you have MS
  and haven't already voted, let us know what month you were born:
  http://msnews.acceleratedcure.org/node/2599

o We've gotten a few press mentions:

  Julie loves her job and let the globe know it:
  http://www.acceleratedcure.org/news/bcp/20070326_bostonglobe.php

  One of our volunteers is a Karaoke King:
  http://www.acceleratedcure.org/news/bcp/20070315_other.php

  One of our two-time Marathon runners:
  http://www.acceleratedcure.org/news/bcp/20070309-desertnews.php
  
o Last year Art spoke at the big pharma/biotech conference BIO on a
  translational research panel. The Kaufmann Foundation sponsored and
  filmed and has allowed us to make that video available (thanks to
  Brightcove for hosting the video):

  http://www.acceleratedcure.org/video/bio2006-translational.php

o The new MSNews site is cranking along quite well. If you want to
  keep up on what's happening in MSNews, you need to sign up to
  receive daily emails:

  http://msnews.acceleratedcure.org

>>> Community Building

o Art was invited to speak to a group of medical school students at
  the Albert Einstein College of Medicine on patient empowerment,
  discussing how doctors can play a role in aiding patients to start
  efforts like the Accelerated Cure Project.

o As always, a few more T-shirt pictures are available:
  http://www.acceleratedcure.org/events/tshirt.php

>>> Events

Detailed information about all of our upcoming events can be found on our
web site: http://www.acceleratedcure.org/events/calendar.php

*** Scavenger Hunt Registration Now Open
http://expansion.acceleratedcure.org/hunt07/register/register.asp

April 16: Boston Marathon, Hopkinton to Boston, 
MA. Join Accelerated Cure Project in support of 
our runners in the prestigious 111th Boston 
Marathon in Boston, MA. Sponsor a runner or come 
to the marathon to help us cheer them on! 
http://www.acceleratedcure.org/events/eventpages/20070416_marathon.php

April 21: Medeiros Family Fifth Annual Sports 
Scholarship and MS Fundraiser Party at the Dante 
Club in Somerville, MA. Join us for an evening of dining and dancing.
http://www.acceleratedcure.org/events/eventpages/20070421_medeiros.php

May 19: Sixth Annual Hunt to Cure MS Scavenger 
Hunt starting and ending at The Skellig bar and 
restaurant in Waltham, MS. Registration is open 
so get your team of 3M--5 people together!
http://www.acceleratedcure.org/events/eventpages/20070519_hunt.php

July 25: Second Annual Benefit to Cure MS at 
Orleans restaurant in Somerville, MA. Enjoy 
dinner, an open wine and beer bar, guest 
speakers, live entertainment, door prizes, raffle, and silent auction.
http://www.acceleratedcure.org/events/eventpages/20070725_orleans.php

>>> Operations

o The 2006 Annual Report is now complete and printed copies have been
  mailed to those who contributed $250 or more in 2006.  A PDF version
  is available here
  http://www.acceleratedcure.org/downloads/acp-annualreport-2006.pdf
  or you can request a printed copy.

o Preparations are now complete for Accelerated Cure Project's exhibit
  booth at the American Academy of Neurology's 2006 Annual Meeting,
  4/30/07-5/3/07 in Boston, MA.  If you're at the meeting please stop by
  and say hello.

>>> Volunteer Efforts Reported Last Month

* Contributed Goods and Services
  Clockwork Design Group, Inc
  Matrix Media
  Kirkwood Printing
  RIS Paper

* Administration
  Audrey Bedrock
  Lori Stephenson
  Stephanie Munafo
  Jane Sharipo
  Alex Bargar
  Charlie Namias
  Ann Farrell
  Kelly Novak
  Lindsay Davis
 
* Benefit to Cure MS 2007
  Holly Perreault
 
* Boston Marathon 2007
  Angela Beyer
  Brendan Handfield
  Carol Rose
  Chris Woodard
  Dave Roskelley
  Jennifer Catour
  Jon Woodard
  Jonathan Hiller
  Kim Davis
  Lori Moore
  Michele Van Leer
  Peter Scavongelli
  Peter Schmidt
  Stephen Harrison
  Thomas Crusse
  Thomas Wert
 
* Community Building
  Jane Shapiro
 
* Fundraising
  Martha Young
 
* Letter Writing Campaign
  Andrea Feldman
 
* March 2007 Appeal
  Marie Rudzinsky
  Nancy Medieros
  Cathy Doucette
  Kelly Novak
  Ann Farrell
  Keff Dolan
  Jackie Bollens
  Helga Bollens
   
* Medeiros Family Fundraiser 2007
  Nancy Medieros
 
* Neuroanatomy Paper
  Jennifer Tobin
 
* Personal Appeal
  Pat Phelps
 
* Repository MRI Project
  Sue Ropiak
 
* Scavenger Hunt 2007
  Deb Robison
  Debbie Mellor
  Debbie Zuppa
  Frank Sisto
  Lisa Sargeant
  Michael Keatley
  Nancy Costello
  Peter Schmidt
  Rebecca Petersen
  Stephanie Sisto
 
* Sense of Purpose letter writing campaign
  Heidi Kern
 
* Sloan Tiger Team 2007
  Julie Go
  Sabrina Chang
 
* System Administration
  Doug Chimento

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