Find a Cure for Neurofibromatosis!

Tell Congress to support funding for NF research!

My son was born with NF1, and as a parent it is very hard to see your child suffer or not be able to do what other children his age are doing. He has learning disabilities and is a year behind due to his learning disabilities that are associated with NF. He also has ocular melanosis, a heart murmur, and only the future will tell if anything else will come about due to this horrible and unpredictable disease. Research is being done to find a cure, but more funding is needed. Please, take part in this petition to ask congress for more funding so a cure can be found! Here is some information about Neurofibromatosis. More information can be found at : http://www.nfinc.org/ and http://nfcure.org/progress.html

Please sign this petition and also visit http://www.nfinc.org/advocacy.shtml to contact congress yourself to tell them how important it is that more funding should be given to find a cure!

NF is a genetic disorder involving the uncontrolled growth of tumors along the nervous system

which can result in terrible disfigurement, deformity, deafness, blindness, brain tumors, cancer,

and/or death. NF can also cause other abnormalities such as unsightly benign tumors across the

entire body and bone deformities. In addition, approximately one-half of children with NF suffer

from learning disabilities. It is the most common neurological disorder caused by a single gene.

While not all NF patients suffer from the most severe symptoms, all NF patients and their

families live their lives with the uncertainty of not knowing whether they will be seriously

affected one day because NF is a highly variable and progressive disease.

Approximately 100,000 Americans have NF, and it appears in approximately one in every 3,500 births. It strikes worldwide, without regard to gender, age, race or ethnicity. Approximately 50% ofnew NF cases result from a spontaneous mutation in an individual%u2019s genes, and 50% are

inherited. There are two types of NF: NF1, which is more common, and NF2, which primarily

involves acoustic neuromas and other tumors, causing deafness and balance problems. Advancesin NF research will benefit over 175 million Americans in this generation alone because NF is directly linked to many of the most common diseases affecting the general population.

Researchers have determined that NF is closely linked to cancer, heart disease, learning

disabilities, memory loss, brain tumors, and other disorders including deafness, blindness and

orthopedic disorders. Research on NF therefore stands to benefit millions of Americans:

NF research is directly related to military purposes because it is closely implicated with tissue degeneration and regeneration, to nervous system degeneration, deafness and balance. Indeed, this Subcommittee, in past Report language, has stated that The Army-supported research on NF includes important investigations into genetic mechanisms governing peripheral nerve regeneration after injury from such things as missile wounds and chemical toxins, and it is important to gaining a better understanding of wound healing. This subcommittee also stated that NF may be relevant to understanding Gulf War Syndrome because of the involvement of the nervous system.

Please, sign this petition and take a stand with me to tell congress that more funding is needed to find a cure to end the suffering among those who have NF as well as other diseases that NF opens it's doors to. Thank you!

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