A few years ago we asked you to start writing letters to National Institute of Health (NIH) for funding for Post-Polio Syndrome (PPS) research. You did that. Last year we announced our intention to present to a Research Scientist a Post-Polio Syndrome Research Award (PPSRA) for the best accomplishment in the prior year that advances our goal towards a possible cure over PPS and asked you to make a contribution towards that PPSRA. You did that. Now, the advances are beginning to come in.
After reviewing the research presented to us we were astonished to find that our cure may be in utilizing the Polio virus that did us in. It seems that a research scientist, Casey D. Morrow Ph.D, working with a grant from the NIH, figured out how to take the teeth off the Polio virus. What is left is a modified Polio virus that targets our motor neurons and goes to it but when it gets there it does nothing.
Therefore, the modified Polio virus simply becomes a transportation system and if we are lucky a research scientist can now utilize this technique to figure out how to attach something to the transportation system and revitalize your motor neurons. This will mean that you will hopefully be brought back to the condition that you were before PPS set in.
So, we concluded that our first Post-Polio Research Award should go to the good Dr. Casey D. Morrow and a check will be forwarded to him. We now hope that the word of this hopefully ever-increasing PPSA will go out to other research scientists and that this will inspire them to think about our PPS problem and advance the PPS solution.
The definitive research article that the PPSRA was based on is in Nature Biotechnology Vol. 18 September 2000 http://bitech.nature.com. An article by Dr. Marrow will be in the April issue of our Polio Connection newsletter.
Do your part and spread the word of our actions. Copy this page of this flyer and post in your local hospital where most research is being done today.
Our future achievements, like our past achievements will only be accomplished with your contributions. The PPSA, $2,500 is the funds you sent in last year, your letter writing to Congress secured the NIH funds for PPS research. This is your ballgame!!
So, again we request that you write letters to your Senators and Representative in Washington asking them to insure that more funds are given for NIH Neuro-Muscular Research. This is a must for everyone! You must do it every year. Write the letter at your support group meeting. It really is important and costs you nothing. The Aids and the Cancer people do it and both get big slices of the research pie. How about us. Don't you, we count???
Please send us copies of any responses you receive. This will help us in our follow-up action. A sample letter is at our website or you can contact us for it
We receive no funding from any corporation, foundation or organization nor does any Polio organization to our knowledge do what we do in the area of finding a cure for PPS. In addition, we continue to develop our educational mission with our newsletters, and Polio Information books and locating Polio Survivors. Our 'business' is working for Polio Survivors only. Our only 'business'. Nothing else
To do all this we rely on dedicated volunteers who work with us, and your assistance. We now ask you to send us a check so that we will have funding for next years PPS Research Award. Hopefully, the faster you take care of our requests the quicker a PPS cure will be found.
Remember to secure a copy of Dr. Lauro Halstead's new PPS book. Keep in mind what Dr. Halstead says in his book (Pg. 37) namely, "successful management....is essentially accomplished through a succession of small changes rather than by one dramatic intervention". That is why we have prepared and published our Polio Information Book volumes, which contain the detail information that you may be able to use to help yourself.
Gift for PPS Research Award $ ________
NAME__________________________________________________________________
We are a non-profit corporation & tax-exempt under IRS code 501(c) (3)
IF WE DON'T DO IT, WHO WILL DO IT? IF NOT NOW, WHEN WILL IT BE DONE?
Polio Connection newsletter for a year $10____
Dr Halstead's book (240 pages) $5 ___
Polio Information Book Volumes (each 100 pages) - $15 for each volume.
Vol. AB ___ Vol. CD ___ Vol. EF ___ Vol. GH ___ Vol. IJ ___
Gift total enclosed $ ________
ADDRESS _______________________________________________________________
CITY/ST./ZIP _______________________________ Tel __________________________
We have no paid employees, only volunteers dedicated to all Polio Survivors.
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