NOTE: This message was originally in conference "INTERNET - E-MAIL AREA"
      and was copied here by Tom Mckeever.
From: Alan Mitchell 
To: Multiple recipients of list POLIO 
Date:         Mon, 16 Sep 1996 09:49:30 GMT
Subject:      APPA News 07 The Polio Foundation Established (*)
Organization: MindSpring Enterprises, Inc.
 
THE POLIO
FOUNDATION
Established
 
A new organization named THE POLIO FOUNDATION has been formed under
the laws of the State of New York and has been approved by the IRS to
operate as a non-profit corporation and accept tax-deductible
donations under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal
Revenue Service Code.
        The initial goal of THE POLIO FOUNDATION is to raise funds for the
following projects:
 
e Research into the causes and treatments for Post-Polio Syndrome
(PPS).
e Education of the medical community as to the nature and severity and
treatment of PPS.
e Education of the general public that polio was not an acute disease,
but a chronic one whose effects have returned with new or additional
disability for most survivors; that PPS is likely to affect many more
in this hemisphere and the rest of the world where vaccination
programs against the disease lagged those here in the U.S.
  Provision of money and/or equipment to those with PPS who are
financially unable to purchase or get reimbursed for needed
life-enhancing devices such as scooters, power wheelchairs,
ventilators, lifts, etc.
 
The Directors of THE POLIO FOUNDATION are:
 
e Steven L. Diamond, MD, FACP, a New York gastroenterologist who was
recently forced to give up his practice because of the onset of PPS.
s Lauro Halstead, MD, head of the Post-Polio and Spinal Cord Injury
clinics at the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Washington, D.C.,
and himself a polio survivor with PPS.
- Hugh Gallagher, polio survivor, prize-winning humanitarian and
author of "FDR's Splendid Deception"
d Augusta Alba, MD, pulmonologist involved in the assessment and
treatment of PPS for many years
e John LeDell, former insurance industry executive
e Abe Sunshine, MD, professor, New York University
i Lewis Shenkman, MD, dean, University Tel Aviv
e Stanley Lipschultz and Martin Bender, attorneys; and
o Tom Walter, liaison to survivors / support groups.
 
        While the bulk of donated monies are expected to come from
corporations, grants and other charitable and fraternal organizations,
a grass roots fundraising effort has begun to raise "seed money" from
the general public, including polio survivors, their friends,
relatives and other interested parties.
        Dr. Steve Diamond reports that on Friday, July 26, 1996, he met for
over two hours with the national President of the March of Dimes at
their headquarters office in White Plains, NY to discuss whether or
not they would be willing to get involved in terms of financial
support.
        He reports the visit was emotional for him, with statues of FDR in 
he
offices, a respirator and pictures from the  polio days.
        Accompanying him on this visit were Dr. Lauro Halstead, Ron Hawes (a
professional fund-raiser who may work with THE FOUNDATION) and Martin
Bender, an attorney on the Board who had 3 cousins die of polio during
the epidemics.
        Diamond says that it does not appear the March of Dimes intends to
include us in  their mission  again. However, a working relationship
of sorts has been established.
        He said the President agreed that MOD would print materials about PPS
to be distributed to physicians around the world. And they are willing
to teach him about fund raising!
        Dr. Diamond believes it is critical that we can show that we are 
here
in large numbers, that we can get organized and that we can do some
fund-raising at the  grass roots  level necessary to proceed to the
next step of corporate fund-raising.
        Please help to pass along this information and solicitation to other
potential donors, including local PPS support group members, your
newsletter editor, etc. All donations, however large or small, will be
greatly appreciated. Checks may be sent to and will be
acknowledged by:
 
Steven L Diamond MD FACP
THE POLIO FOUNDATION
BOX 862
Mount Kisco NY 10549
 
Reprinted from Polio Echo News, Pheonix Ar Vol 11, No 4.
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