Arthritis Foundation, Northern California Chapter Year-End Summary

November 18, 2008

 2008 SUMMARY

In the Arthritis Foundation’s 60th year of working to prevent, control and cure arthritis, the Northern California Chapter has made significant strides to improve the lives of the over two million people in our community living with the effects of this disease. With the generous sharing of time, expertise, and financial support by our many supporters throughout 2008, the Northern California Chapter is pleased to report numerous achievements in the areas of research, public policy, public health programs, fundraising and volunteer leadership.

RESEARCH

The Arthritis Foundation funds training for the next generation of rheumatologists at UCSF and Stanford

Since 1986, the Arthritis Foundation, Northern California Chapter has supported the training of clinical rheumatology fellows and research investigators at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and Stanford University. We remain committed to this key part of the Arthritis Foundation’s mission to help find a cure for arthritis.  Together with the parent Arthritis Foundation, we have pledged $5.5 million through 2011 to fund the work of 24 research investigators and post-doctoral fellows, as well as four clinical rheumatology fellowships at UCSF and Stanford.  The funding that these two prestigious universities receive from the Arthritis Foundation is critical to ensuring their ability to train the next generation of rheumatologists in Northern California.  Our support allows the ongoing training and education of talented doctors who will become future clinicians, researchers, academicians and leaders in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, juvenile arthritis, osteoporosis, and many other forms of arthritis and related immunological diseases.

The Northern California Chapter’s acclaimed Summer Science Fellowship Program encourages local high school students to choose arthritis research as a career. Currently in its 28th year, the Summer Science Program places eight high-achieving high school students in research laboratories at UCSF and Stanford, where they work side by side with experienced scientists to learn first-hand about research associated with rheumatic diseases. This direct exposure to the field of research has proven inspiring to many program participants over the years.  In fact, statistics show that fifty percent of the program’s alumni go on to choose careers in the health and medical fields.

“Without the Arthritis Foundation, I would not be in academia today. I was funded by the Foundation as a fellow in 1996 when I was starting my third year of training and needed bridge funding. I later went on to win an Arthritis Investigator award from the Foundation that allowed me to get my faculty position at Stanford. I now have a lab with a dozen young scientists in training. We have made seminal advances in diagnostics, novel treatment regimens, clinical trials, and in educating hundreds of young scientists – from high school up through junior faculty. Given how difficult it is now to garner National Institute of Health (NIH) funds, the commitment of the Arthritis Foundation to its mission is THE difference between seeing rheumatology flourish as a discipline, versus being destroyed by a lack of NIH funding. I can’t emphasize enough that without the Foundation and its continued commitment, we will lose and entire generation of clinician scientists who will pursue paths that do not include pursuit of basic and clinical research.”
PJ Utz, MD
Stanford Rheumatologist
Arthritis Foundation Board Member

PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS

Award-winning Public Health Programs reach thousands of people in Northern California

The Arthritis Foundation is committed to helping the two million residents in Northern California living with arthritis improve their symptoms and quality of life through a variety of public health programs. In 2008, the Arthritis Foundation Life Improvement Series collaborative partnerships between the Arthritis Foundation and a variety of Bay Area organizations continued to grow. Partner organizations hosting the Arthritis Foundation Exercise and Arthritis Foundation Aquatic Program, increased by 32 sites in 2008, for a total of 72 official Northern California locations.. In addition, nearly 100 new instructors were trained by the Northern California Chapter this year to lead these two award-winning programs. The Life Improvement Series helped more than 3,600 people living with arthritis to take control of their disease and decrease their pain with physical activity.

The Arthritis Foundation educated over 11,500 people living with arthritis at nearly 70 community health fairs, Speakers Bureau seminars, and the 2008 Bone and Joint EXPO in Concord, California. The Bone and Joint EXPO in its fourth year, was our most successful yet, with 1600 attendees—1,000 more than in each of the previous years.  Attendance was increased with the help of Clear Channel Radio which, as the EXPO media sponsor, promoted the event on all of its Bay Area stations.

In conjunction with the national Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology, the Northern California Chapter hosted the only public seminar of the meeting designed for people living with arthritis. The Experts in Arthritis Patient Seminar, held on October 26, 2008, was attended by almost 200 people who learned about the latest scientific evidence and arthritis management strategies from world class experts in the field of rheumatology. This event received coverage in two editions of the San Francisco Chronicle, which has a circulation of over 500,000 people.

Furthermore, the Northern California Chapter directly reached an additional 18,400 people through our Chapter website and Information and Referral phone calls to the office.

In 2008, the Northern California Chapter continued to increase its offerings for the children in our community affected by from juvenile arthritis (JA). Camp Milagros, the only camp in Northern California for children affected with JA, welcomed 31 campers in August 2008.  Campers paid only 7% of the actual cost to attend. This year, a local videographer donated his services to film the children participating in camp activities. This video will be shown at local pediatric rheumatology clinics and on our web site in the hope of increasing participation from children throughout Northern California affected with JA.

The Northern California Chapter’s award-winning Juvenile Arthritis Teen Retreat was held in October 2008 and welcomed 13 teenagers for a weekend in San Francisco filled with health learning opportunities, peer support, and fun-filled activities throughout the City. The Arthritis Foundation’s JA Family Education Day was held at the Oakland Zoo in April 2008, and enjoyed the highest attendance ever with 114 family members, 37 speakers, and many pediatric rheumatologists who spoke in an open forum to parents and children. Additionally, the JA National Conference, held in Costa Mesa, CA was a great success. The Northern California Chapter was pleased to be able to provide funding to send six local families to attend the conference this year a 50% increase from 2007.

PUBLIC POLICY

The Arthritis Prevention, Control and Cure Act is passed by the U.S. House of Representatives

On September 27, 2008, the United States House of Representatives passed the Arthritis Prevention, Control and Cure Act (HR 1283), the first comprehensive, bipartisan arthritis legislation in more than 30 years. If passed by the United States Senate in November 2008, this landmark legislation will become law and will strengthen public health initiatives; expand the reach of evidenced based self-management activities such as weight control and physical activity; ensure that limited federal funding for arthritis is used in the most strategic manner possible; and authorize a remedy to address the country’s severe shortage of pediatric rheumatologists.

The Northern California Chapter Advocacy Committee is one of the most active and successful Arthritis Foundation chapter advocacy committees in the country, and has played an integral role in pushing this important arthritis legislation through Congress. Members of the Advocacy Committee, now supported by over 700 new E-Advocates in 2008, met with Northern California Chapter legislators to achieve unanimous legislative support for the Arthritis Prevention, Control and Cure Act. Local Congressional Representative Anna G. Eshoo (US Congressional District 14) sponsored the bill and played an integral role in getting the bill passed by the House of Representatives. In honor of her achievements, Representative Eshoo received the Public Service Award at the 2008 Arthritis Foundation, Northern California Chapter’s Annual Meeting on November 6, 2008.

LEADERSHIP AND FUNDRAISING

Arthritis Foundation volunteer leadership raises funds and friends to support the fight against arthritis

Tireless and dedicated Northern California Chapter volunteers, donors, and board members raised $550,000 in 2008 in support of the Arthritis Foundation’s efforts to prevent, control and cure arthritis. The 2008 Arthritis Walks, held in May in San Francisco, San Jose, and Livermore, brought together hundreds of Northern California residents to raise funds and awareness for those affected by arthritis. In September, 245 cyclists pedaled  525 miles down the California coast as participants in the California Coast Classic bike tour. The 42 riders from Northern California cycling in honor of a loved one with arthritis raised nearly $200,000.

The Bay Area Arthritis Auxiliary (BAAA), a group of local philanthropists dedicated to fundraising for the Arthritis Foundation, increased its membership by 11 new members in 2008. The BAAA not only took a lead role in fundraising for the Arthritis Walks, but they also successfully hosted its annual Fashion Show in October, featuring the collections of local fashion icon Wilkes Bashford. Over 400 guests attended the event at the Westin St. Francis Hotel, raising an incredible $189,000. The BAAA also continued its Salon Seminar Education Series, hosting four seminars in 2008 on topics ranging from orthopedic surgery to fibromyalgia. This series will continue in 2009.

Generous donors gave much needed unrestricted gifts which supported free public seminars, dedicated educational outreach programs to seniors, children, and physicians, scholarships to attend conferences and camp, health fair attendance, advocacy efforts, and expansion of our Life Improvement Series.

Please help the Arthritis Foundation meet its Life Improvement Challenge

The Arthritis Foundation, Northern California Chapter could not have accomplished any of these 2008 successes without generous support from donors like you. Thank you for understanding the critical need to ensure funding of these award-winning public health programs, research fellowships, and advocacy efforts in the coming year. Please help us meet an anonymous donor’s $250,000 Arthritis Life Improvement Challenge by giving generously to the Northern California Chapter today.

The Arthritis Foundation will steward your donations effectively in 2009 and will ensure that the Northern California Chapter continues to help the men, women and children in our community living with arthritis.

Thank you so very much for your support.  I look forward to speaking with you in the coming year.