Support Scleroderma in the 2011 Combined Federal Campaign

Scleroderma Foundation eLetter

eLetter #417

Greetings!

TWO WEEKS AWAY

African-American Patient Education Day

Join us Saturday, Sept. 24, for the first African-American Scleroderma Patient Education Day.

Virginia Steen, M.D., from Georgetown University Medical Center, and Laura K. Hummers, M.D., from Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, will lead the event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m at the Tremont Plaza Hotel in Baltimore.

Participants will learn about:

Risk factors specific to African-Americans
Rapid disease progression
Severe lung and organ involvement

For more information or to register, visit www.scleroderma.org/africanamerican.

Quality Indicators in Scleroderma

The Scleroderma Foundation recently reported on the publication of an important article, "Quality Indicators set for Systemic Sclerosis" in the peer-reviewed scientific journal, Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology (see e-Letter No. 403, June 10, 2011).

This is important information for patients and caregivers to understand and speak about with their medical doctors. For that reason, we're pleased to provide you with a patient-friendly summary of the scientific article that highlights some of the most important information that you need to know.

Our thanks to Karen Gottesman from the Southern California Chapter for putting together this summary. Click on this link for the patient summary. For the full article from Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology, follow this link.

Support Scleroderma in the Combined Federal Campaign

The Scleroderma Foundation has been accepted into the 2011 Combined Federal Campaign, the world's largest workplace charity campaign.

Pledges may be made by Federal civilian, postal and military donors Saturday, Oct. 1, through Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011, to support eligible nonprofit organizations that provide health and human service benefits throughout the world.

If you are a federal employee, the Combined Federal Campaign is an easy way to donate to the Scleroderma Foundation. To participate, ask your supervisor or human resources departments about how to donate to the campaign in your workplace. When filling out any designation forms, enter the Scleroderma Foundation CFC number #10089, and designate how much money you would like to donate to the Foundation each pay period.

The Scleroderma Foundation is grateful for the support from thousands of federal workers around the world who designate the Foundation in workplace-giving campaigns.

Pulmonary Hypertension

Investigator Training Program

The Pulmonary Hypertension Association invites clinical trial investigators to its Investigator Training Program in September. The sessions will be held Saturday, Sept. 24, and Sunday, Sept. 25, at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, Va.

The Investigator Training Program is an educational program designed by Pfizer, and presented by the Pulmonary Hypertension Association, to support clinical trial investigators. It aims to improve the many skills required for the planning, conduct and reporting of clinical trials.

Space is limited so register today at www.phassociation.org/ITP.

ENTELLIGENCE: Young Investigators Award Program

The ENTELLIGENCE Young Investigators Award Program is a U.S.-based research program consistent with Actelion Pharmaceutical US, Inc.'s commitment to basic science, translational and clinical research in the area of pulmonary vascular disease.

Young investigators at universities and research institutes with innovative projects and promising careers in pulmonary vascular disease are supported. The program aims to encourage and promote quality medical care and enhance patients' lives through research in pulmonary vascular disease.

Learn more about the program and apply today.