ADVISORY/Scleroderma Awareness Month: Interview Opportunities with Real-life Heroes.

Health/Medical Writers

ADVISORY...

--(BUSINESS WIRE)

Imagine learning you have a progressive, incurable condition that may lead to disability and even death. Imagine it is an autoimmune disease - your own body attacking its healthy cells.

Now imagine your family physician knows little, if anything, about this condition.

That's what it's like for many of the 300,000 Americans with scleroderma.

In its most severe form, scleroderma attacks skin and internal organs including the heart, lungs, and kidneys, hardening the tissues. Approximately 80 percent of patients are women, usually diagnosed between the ages of 25 and 55. To date, there is no cure for scleroderma.

The Scleroderma Foundation invites you to spread the word about scleroderma during National Scleroderma Awareness month this June. We would like to introduce you to some of the brave and dedicated people whose lives have been touched by scleroderma.

-- Lauren Beeson of Pembrook Pines, Florida, was diagnosed in

1995 at the age of 6 and named National Poster Child for the

Scleroderma Foundation in 1997. She is now the Foundation's

Teen Ambassador. Lauren has addressed Congressional aides and

the Labor, Health & Human Services, Education Appropriations

Sub-Committee. She has spoken about scleroderma at her school

and gotten her friends involved with the Southeast Florida

Chapter's various fundraising efforts, including their

walkathon and auction.

-- Lenny Moore, former Baltimore Colt now in the NFL Hall of

Fame, has been outspoken on the issue of research funding for

scleroderma. His son suffered from the disease until, at the

age of 42, he succumbed. Mr. Moore has recently spoken to

Congress about the need for increased awareness and money for

this devastating illness.

-- John Varga, M.D., is a leading scleroderma researcher and

clinician and Chairman of the Scleroderma Foundation's Medical

Advisory Board. He has received many honors and awards,

including the National Research Service Award from NIH and the

McCabe Award from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Varga is

Professor of Medicine, Biochemistry, and Molecular Biology at

the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, and

Chief of the Section of Rheumatology.

-- Bonnie Handmacher of Lainesboro, Minnesota, was a member of

the Scleroderma Striders marathon team, raising money for the

cause alongside her teammates. She finished the marathon in

under five hours and helped raise more than $20,000. What is

so amazing about that feat is that Bonnie has had scleroderma

since 2001.

To schedule an interview call Kara Slater at 212-508-9647.

For general information call the Scleroderma Foundation's national info line at 800-722-HOPE.