D.C. and the AAMDSIF conference

7/31/08
Mom and I returned yesterday from the AAMDSIF conference. It was a wonderful trip and we were able to meet lots of great people, both patients and families as well as some of the Foundation's staff. It was great to meet some of the staff people, whom I have been e-mailing for a number of years. They were also quite happy to meet me, having heard about the fundraising I have done. This year was the Foundation's 25th anniversary so they had a lovely dinner to celebrate. The executive director gave a great speech inviting all of us to the 40th anniversary for, hopefully, a celebration of the eradication of bone marrow failure diseases. The next day the foundation hosted an event called Capitol Hill Day, where patients and families met with members of Congress to get their support for pieces of legislation which would help sufferers of bone marrow failure diseases. It was a lot of fun to meet with staff and members of Congress and to see how law making works up close and personal. The conference and Capitol Hill Day are just two more examples of the wonderful work of the foundation. I hope to help them continue this work by raising as much as possible at this year's Craft Fair.