Happy New Year,
Thank you for your support of the institute and its mission to conquer neuroimmune disease. While we continue our search for cures, we remain dedicated to caring for the neuroimmune community, through medical care, education, advocacy and outreach.
Because of your generosity, WPI continued to support a medical clinic for neuroimmune diseases in Nevada. This clinic is home to Belgian medical expert Dr. Kenny De Meirleir. After extensive review of his patient charts, Dr. De Meirleir was able to identify and publish a set of biological diagnostics to aid him in the creation of effective treatment protocols for patients at the clinic.
With your support WPI was able to create a patient centered medical fund, begin a collaborative educational initiative for doctors, and gained congressional support for greater research funding. We moved an experienced and growing neuroimmune research program into the University of Nevada’s research community and planned an educational support group to begin later this month.
WPI has created greater public awareness of chronic, complex diseases like ME/CFS, post treatment Lyme, and fibromyalgia through newsletters, emails and online social sites.
Your follows and shares on media sites helped neuroimmune patients around the world know that they are not alone in their fight for disease recognition and medical care.
We are so thankful for you and everything that you do to support our efforts to bring significant progress to this field of medicine.
We hope that 2020 brings you and your loved ones renewed health and greater happiness.
With deepest gratitude,
Annette Whittemore
A Year in Review
WPI is pleased to share some of our key achievements for 2019.
February: Raising awareness and funds through Nevada’s Big Give
Informational memes, created by the institute, provided public awareness of the institute and its mission to find answers for those who suffer from ME/CFS and other complex, systemic, diseases, in addition to raising funds for the work of the institute.
March: Open House at WPI
A large group of interested members of the community attended WPI’s informational open house at the Institute. An interview style discussion with researcher Vince Lombardi and Dr. Kenny De Meirleir followed the opening message by Annette Whittemore in which she described the impact of ME on patients and their families. Attendees were given a tour of the medical offices, laboratory, and executive offices before drinks and food, were served. We hope to make this a yearly event.
April: Lobby days
WPI successfully sought and acquired Nevada’s congressional support for CDC and NIH increase in research funding. We represented WPI at the first NIH national conference on ME/CFS in Bethesda, MD., giving us the opportunity to stay connected to other major leaders in this field while learning more about new research findings in ME/CFS.
May: Governor’s proclamation in support of ME/CFS awareness
WPI requested and received a copy of Governor Sisolak’s proclamation declaring May as ME/CFS Awareness Month. We are deeply grateful to our state leaders and Governor Sisolak for their outstanding commitment to those who are impacted by complex neuroimmune diseases.
Medical Research Breakthrough: Diagnostic markers
The Institute participated in a recently published retrospective study identifying specific biomarkers from hundreds of patient tests that were conducted as part of Dr. De Meirleir’s medical evaluations. These four blood tests, which were found to separate ME/CFS patients from controls with a high degree of specificity and sensitivity, are available to the medical community.
June: Collaborations
WPI began discussions with the Bateman Horne Center of Utah about future collaborations in an effort to expand medical educational programs within the United States. Plans have been made to offer medical lectures to the local hospitals and a university physician’s group. The feedback from these talks will provide direction for a future medical conference in Northern NV.
August: Current research discussions
We met with the Chair of Immunology at the University of Nevada, Reno, Dr. David Au Coin, to discuss current research in ME/CFS and Lyme disease. Dr. Au Coin is interested in creating a more precise test for early Lyme detection. He has agreed to meet periodically to discuss his research progress and to continue to mentor Dr. Lombardi in his ME/CFS research.
October: Medical conference planning
We began planning a medical conference for 2021 with the help of university personnel and the Medical School Dean. The conference will be held in conjunction with the Bateman Horne Center of Salt Lake City, Utah. The goal is to further educate family practitioners about the disease by pairing symptoms with the appropriate scientific research.
November: Patient support group
WPI began planning a new in-person and online support group for those with ME/CFS and their care-givers the hour long program will focus on various practical issues and will include a variety of guest speakers. This institute sponsored support group is set to begin in late January.
December: Fundraising campaign
WPI’s campaign to raise money for the Gift of Health for ME initiative was a great success. Thousands of dollars were donated and are already beginning to help first time patients who come to the institute to be seen by Dr. Kenny De Meirleir. WPI is also excited to welcome and lend financial support for a new employee of the medical practice within the Center at WPI. He will be the medical practice administrator and assistant to Dr. De Meirleir, making it possible for the doctor to expand his Nevada medical practice.