Cooley's Anemia Foundation Care Walk & Picnic

Cooley’s Anemia Foundation’s national “Care Walk” is coming to Long Island on Sunday, May 6, 2012
A Unique Walk-a-Thon To bring awareness and funding for medical research to help find a cure for a rare fatal inherited blood disorder that effects children

The Cooley’s Anemia Foundation (CAF), a non-profit organization dedicated solely to battling the genetic blood disorder Thalassemia (a.k.a. Cooley’s Anemia) has announced that a “Care Walk” walk-a-thon will be held across the nation on Sunday, May 6, 2012.

There are two walk locations set up for the Long Island region, one in Suffolk County at the Bellport Village Marina, Bellport Lane, Bellport, NY 11713 starting at 12:30pm, contact Sharon Farrell Radonis at sradonis77@gmail.com. The other location is in Nassau County at the Christopher Morely Park, 500 Searingtown Rd, Roslyn, NY 11576 starting at 10am, contact Janice Cenzoprano at jepc106@aol.com.

CAF debuted its national “Care Walk” campaign last year, with more than 2,000 people participating to raise over $200,000 for the Foundation’s medical research, patient service’s and public education programs. Unlike a traditional walk-a-thon, in which thousands of people gather in one place for a concentrated mass event, the “Care Walk” is a series of walks held across the nation. Each individual who registers for a “Care Walk” can decide where he or she would like to walk on Sunday, May 6, 2012 and for how long. Although two walk locations have been coordinated for the Long Island region, you may choose to set up your own walk if you would like by visiting the website http:/tinyurl.com/CareWalk2012.

Children born with the severe form of Thalassemia known as Beta Thalassemia Major a.k.a. Cooley’s Anemia, require lifelong blood transfusions as often as every two weeks, starting Cooley’s Anemia Foundation Press in infancy. They must also undergo a difficult daily treatment of chelation therapy for 8-12 hours every night, which for many involves sticking a needle in their stomach and pumping in a drug to help with the iron build-up. The toll that the transfusions have on their bodies leads to iron-over load resulting in the breakdown of bones and organs, which ultimately leads to an early life span.

Although there have been promising advances in gene therapy in recent years, a cure is still being sought. Please walk with us on Sunday, May 6, 2012 and help us raise money to help fund medical research to find a cure. If you cannot walk with us but would like to make a donation, you can send a check made payable to the Cooley’s Anemia Foundation and mail it to the Cooley's Anemia Foundation, 330 Seventh Avenue #200, New York, NY 10001.

For a list of organized walks please visit http://tinyurl.com/CW2012Loc. To register for a Walk of your own please contact Nathalia Perozo at CAF at (212) 279-8090 x 208 or n.perozo@cooleysanemia.org, or simply register online at http://tinyurl.com/CareWalk2012.

About the Cooley’s Anemia Foundation
Founded in 1954, the Cooley’s Anemia Foundation is dedicated to serving people afflicted with various forms of Thalassemia, most notably the major form of this genetic blood disease, Beta Thalassemia Major a.k.a. Cooley’s Anemia. Our mission is advancing the treatment and cure for this fatal blood disease, enhancing the quality of life of patients and educating the medical profession, trait carriers and the public about Cooley's Anemia/Thalassemia Major. CAF is a significant funder of medical research specifically related to Thalassemia and its complications, contributing in this way to improving care and finding a cure.
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