I want to share the latest info on the success of....

our 2nd annual Phenomenal Hope for a Cure.
The following is a copy of the "report" that I just posted on the PHA discussion board. I'm going to try to post the same info here. Thanks for all of your support, love and prayers with this event. As you will see, it was EXTREMELY successful!

Thanks for reading!
love
annette

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On November 17, 2007 we held our 2nd Annual Phenomenal Hope for a Cure Fundraiser in Omaha, NE. We were all very nervous since last year, our first year, was such a success. Well, I'm here to report that the 2nd Annual Phenomenal Hope for a Cure Fundraiser was significantly more successful than last year! We have so far (we got another $1,000 donations this last week!) raised over $51,000!!! That is at least $10,000 more than we raised last year! Included in that is well over $3,000 that was made from silent and/or oral auction items that were made and/or donated by phriends from all over the country!

Just to give you a quick synopsis...We had a sit-down dinner for about 250 people. The mayor of Omaha, Mayor Mike Fahey was our honorary chairman. He declared November 17, 2007 as Pulmonary Hypertension Day in Omaha. He also presented us with the proclamation at the dinner. We had a local sportscaster, Mr. Dave Webber as our emcee. We also had a local and exceptional auctioneer, Mr. Glenn Evert donate his time as our auctioneer.

While people were shopping and bidding on the numerous silent auction items, there was a slide show on a big screen showing the "PHaces of PH." It was a slide show of phriends that I put together with music.

When the attendees "shopped" at the silent auction items, they immediately knew if they were looking at an item made and/or donated by a phriend, because I had their picture and name displayed by their item.

The evening "officially" started with my sister, Kathleen, introducing Mr. Webber and then Mr. Webber thanking everyone for coming and acknowledging the sponsors (drug companies, medical groups and individual businesses and physicians) then introducing the mayor. Mayor Fahey then spoke about pulmonary hypertension using talking points provided by PHA. He then presented the proclamation to the four phriends that were on the fundraising committee.

Following that, we had a local pediatric ph specialst, Dr. Paul Sammut spoke specifically about pulmonary hypertension in children.

Following his talk, my youngest son, Chris presented the documentary he made for this years event, "Hope." This year he focused on 4 children with ph. Of course, it was amazing. (even if I am a bit biased)

I was then introduced. I asked for a moment of silence for the 3 local phriends that we lost to ph since last year’s event. Then I gave my "speech."

"Pulmonary Hypertension is a life-changing diagnosis.
Many of us lived with symptoms for several years before we were diagnosed. These symptoms included shortness of breath, light-headedness and even chest pains. Then once we were given an actual name for how we had been feeling, our lives really began to change. We started visiting the doctor more frequently. We began taking many new medications. Some of us started to use oxygen. We began to learn what our physical limitations were. We began to learn about the potential problems and negative outcomes associated with Pulmonary Hypertension.

PH IS a life changing diagnosis.
Many of us have learned that our physical limitations cause us to slow down and even many of us have had to quite working. We may not be able to do things we once took for granted like walking up a flight of stairs, going swimming, riding a bike or even walking the dog. Our days now include schedules for mixing medicine, taking medicine and even resting.

You see, PH IS a life changing diagnosis. BUT, we are the lucky ones.
With a slower pace comes a better appreciation of what life has to offer. We no longer take things for granted. Time with our family is precious. Time with our friends is precious. Time spent reading a book or listing to music is precious.

You see, WE ARE the lucky ones. Never before have there been so many choices in treatments for PH. Never before have we had so many scientists and physicians working to find more treatments and even a potential cure for PH.

You see, we ARE the lucky ones.

Just look at the people in this room. They are here for us, the people with a rare disease. They are here to support us and to support the hope, the hope we ALL have to find a cure. Thank you for coming."

We then went into the oral auction and the evening closed with Mr. Webber thanking everyone for coming and reminding all to take the information about ph and PHA with them.

So, that's about it. I hope this short report and some of the photos from the evening help you feel like you were there. Because, you WERE there, you were ALL there, in my heart.

Thanks for reading.
Much, much love,
Annette
www.annettesexcitingblog.blogspot.com

ps First picture is the mayor presenting us the proclamation. I'm shaking his hand.