As someone affected by Neurofibromatosis (NF), I am writing to ask you to sign onto a bipartisan letter being circulated by Congressmen Gutierrez (D-IL) and Congressman Roskam (R-IL) showing your support for inclusion of $20 million for the Army=s highly successful Neurofibromatosis (NF) Research Program in the FY2009 Defense Appropriations bill. We are also seeking the inclusion of Report language on NF research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the FY2009 Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations bill. Thanks to the past support of Congress, significant advances in NF research have been made and researchers are now on the threshold of a treatment and a cure for this terrible disease.

NF involves the uncontrolled growth of tumors along the nervous system, which can result in terrible disfigurement, deformity, deafness, blindness, brain tumors, cancer and death. NF is the most common neurological disorder caused by a single gene and it affects approximately 100,000 Americans. However, because of NF=s close connection to many common diseases and disorders, such as cancer, learning disabilities, heart disease, memory loss, and brain tumors, research on NF stands to benefit over 175 million Americans in this generation alone.

NF research also has the potential to benefit the military since the disease is connected to nervous system impairment and war-related illnesses. Because NF manifests itself in the nervous system, the Army-supported research on NF addresses peripheral nerve regeneration after injury from such things as missile wounds and chemical toxins. Findings generated by research on NF could make important progress in our understanding of wound healing, as well as investigating genetic mechanisms which involve not only the nervous system, but also other cancers.

The modest investment in NF research has already resulted in major breakthroughs toward a treatment and a cure for this terrible disease. However, I believe that we must continue to invest in research if we are to continue to advance toward treatments and cures for the numerous diseases associated with NF.

To add your name to the letter please contact Natalie Angelo of Rep. Gutierrez’s office or Michael DeFilippis in Rep. Roskam’s office by March 14, 2008. I thank you for your consideration of this request and I look forward to working with you as we advance toward treatments and cures for NF and the numerous diseases with which NF is associated.

Thank you for your attention to this request.

Sincerely,