Newswise — DETROIT, August 29, 2016 – American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA) announced today its August Autoimmune Heroes – the 46 Board members and advisors who have loyally and generously donated their time and talents to helping AARDA and its mission evolve and grow these last 25 years.
AARDA particularly recognizes nine individuals who, over and above their board service, are responsible for creating lasting impacts in the areas of diagnosis, education, awareness, collaboration, advocacy and finance, including:
•Stanley M. Finger, Ph.D., a bedrock board member for 21 years and Chairman of the Board for 13 years, has played a major role in the development and the ongoing advocacy work of the National Coalition of Autoimmune Patient Groups, a coalition of 36 disease specific patient organizations that utilizes a collaborative approach to advocacy on behalf of all autoimmune patients. Finger also has been instrumental in the development of the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Autoimmune Research Plan and the formation of the NIH Autoimmune Disease Coordinating Committee.
•Robert Meyer, a founding member of AARDA’s very first Board of Directors, is a certified public accountant who has provided pro-bono accounting services to AARDA for nearly 20 years, from setting up the organization’s initial accounting system to serving as the treasurer for 19 years, allowing AARDA to grow on stable financial footing.
•Rita Baron Faust, a two-term board member, has generously volunteered her time to speak at dozens of AARDA public forums all over the United States for more than a decade, deftly helping patients to better understand autoimmune disease and have more productive conversations with their doctors, family members and friends. In addition, she penned the seminal lay person’s book on autoimmune disease and women called “The Autoimmune Connection: Essential Information for Women on Diagnosis, Treatment and Getting on with Your Life.”
•T. Stephen Balch, M.D., a two-term board member and clinician who specializes in autoimmune disease, is passionate about patient education and regularly speaks at AARDA forums around the country. His retrospective study on identifying what symptoms are usually present in autoimmune patients when first seeking a diagnosis brought to light the common symptoms that indicate an autoimmune disease should be suspected. This study helped AARDA and its patient educator to assist patients get diagnosed.
•Edward K. Christian, a board advisor for 18 years and one-term board member, has made significant contributions to autoimmune awareness by donating production services, voice talent and airtime on his more than 60 radio stations around the country for multiple public service campaigns over the years.
•Rev. Herb G. Ford, D. Min, a board member for 16 years and current Chairman through 2017, has been involved with AARDA since its founding, providing sage financial advice and helping AARDA secure free office space in its start-up years allowing it to save and direct funds for much needed awareness and research programs.
•Howard E. Hagon, a board member since1997 and recognized by unanimous vote as a founding board member in 2014, has generously shared his keen business acumen, first as an unofficial advisor as AARDA was being formed, then as a board member serving on multiple committees to today as a trusted board advisor. •Michelle Ouellet, a board member since 2004 and current Board Secretary, has been a loyal and committed AARDA supporter, first as co-founder and president of AARDA’s Mid-Atlantic Chapter in the mid-90’s, as a dedicated member of the advocacy team with a strong voice on Capitol Hill, as well as organizing fundraising events and, as a lawyer, providing legal oversight.
•Stephanie Hales, relatively new to the board serving as an advisor since 2014, has made a tremendous difference in AARDA’s ability to weigh-in on advocacy issues affecting autoimmune patients with governmental regulators and congressional offices. In addition, she provides direction and advice for AARDA’s Advocacy committee.
Part of its yearlong 25th anniversary celebration, AARDA’s #AutoimmuneHeroes campaign recognizes the work of individuals and organizations that have advanced the autoimmune disease agenda in the areas of research, patient safety, advocacy, public education and awareness, service and volunteerism, among others.
“AARDA has been extremely fortunate in attracting talented, steadfast and generous individuals to sit on our Board of Directors and/or serve as Advisors,” said Virginia Ladd, founder and executive director, AARDA (@AARDATweets). “AARDA’s board members and advisors prove true Margaret Mead’s adage,’ Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world...’ These 46 individuals have changed the world for 50 million Americans who suffer from autoimmune disease, as well as their family members and friends.”
Each month during its anniversary year, AARDA will be announcing its #AutoimmuneHeroes. Over the last 25 years, these heroes – both individuals and organizations – have proved critical to helping AARDA become the national organization it is today, while positively impacting the lives of the 50 million Americans with AD and their families.
In addition, AARDA also launched this year its #25for25 fundraising campaign. It invites individuals and organizations the world over to recognize AARDA’s achievements on behalf of people with autoimmune disease and support its work going forward by donating $25 to the organization (www.aarda.org).
About American Autoimmune Related Diseases AssociationCelebrating its 25th anniversary, American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA) is the nation's only non-profit organization dedicated to bringing a national focus to autoimmunity as a category of disease and a major women's health issue, and promoting a collaborative research effort in order to find better treatments and a cure for all autoimmune diseases. For more information, please visit www.aarda.org.
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PROFILES – August 2016 Autoimmune Heroes
American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association Salutes
Autoimmune Hero Stanley M. Finger, Ph.D. in recognition for his…
•serving as a bedrock board member for 21 years and as Chairman of the Board for 13 years.
•playing a major role in the development and the ongoing advocacy work of the National Coalition of Autoimmune Patient Groups, a coalition of 38 disease specific patient organizations that utilizes a collaborative approach to advocacy on behalf of all autoimmune patients.
•instrumental efforts in assisting in the development of the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Autoimmune Research Plan and the formation of the NIH Autoimmune Disease Coordinating Committee.
Stanley joined AARDA because his is an autoimmune disease (AD) family -- his wife, two daughters, as well as himself. But, he says AARDA became a real cause for him beyond his own family. He proposed the idea for a literature study of the number of people in the US with an autoimmune disease. The resulting publication, by Dr. Noel Rose and his team at Johns Hopkins University, was seminal in showing at least 8.5 million people in the country with an AD - NIH was estimating about 1 million people at that time. NIH was shocked at the number of AD patients. NIH’s own initial study resulted with an estimate of over 14 million people. A subsequent NIH study now estimates 24.5 million AD patients in the country. This, in turn, caught the attention of pharmaceutical companies spurring them to develop biological treatment drugs that are a dramatic improvement over earlier drugs, helping to minimize the impact of ADs on the patients and their families.
Stanley applauds the “dedicated AARDA team has been key to driving these major advances in the recognition and treatment of ADs.”
American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association Salutes
Autoimmune Hero Robert Meyer in recognition for his…
•serving as a founding member of AARDA’s very first Board of Directors, is a certified public accountant who has provided pro-bono accounting services to AARDA for nearly 20 years, from setting up the organization’s initial accounting system to serving as the treasurer for 19 years, allowing AARDA to grow on stable financial footing.
In addition to his time as Treasurer, Robert also served one term as Chairman of the Board. His relationship started with AARDA as a business one – his worked as their accountant. As he came to know AARDA, he wanted to get more involved. Upon being elected to the board, Robert realized the tremendous impact the organization was having on people’s lives.
“The dedication of the Board, the employees and the volunteers has been an awe inspiring experience for me.”
American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association Salutes
Autoimmune Hero Rita Baron Faust in recognition for her…
•generous volunteering of her time to speak at dozens of AARDA public forums all over the United States for more than a decade, deftly helping patients to better understand autoimmune disease and have more productive conversations with their doctors, family members and friends.
•penning of the seminal lay person’s book on autoimmune disease and women called “The Autoimmune Connection: Essential Information for Women on Diagnosis, Treatment and Getting on with Your Life.”
An award-winning medical journalist and author, and two-term board member, Rita credits Virginia Ladd, AARDA’s founding president, with inspiring her to write “The Autoimmune Connection” and making it possible for her to bring empowering information to autoimmune patients at AARDA’s public forums. As a writer, Rita explains that she doesn’t often know where her words land, but at AARDA forums she can see and feel their impact on patients. She calls it an incredible gift.
“AARDA’s advocacy has made a huge difference in the lives of thousands of people with autoimmune diseases and for me to play even a small part in that is one of the greatest satisfactions in my life.” American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association Salutes
Autoimmune Hero T. Stephen Balch, M.D. in recognition for his…
•bringing a passion to patient education and speaking regularly at AARDA forums as a clinician who specializes in autoimmune disease.
•retrospective study on identifying what symptoms are usually present in autoimmune patients when first seeking a diagnosis brought to light the common symptoms that indicate an autoimmune disease should be suspected. This study helped AARDA and its patient educator to assist patients get diagnosed.
After graduation from Northwestern University and the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, Dr. Balch spent two years at the National Institutes of Health and then served as chief medical resident at Emory University Hospital. After completing his internship at Emory, he established a private practice and very quickly became interested in autoimmune diseases. He has devoted himself to treating autoimmune disease patients throughout his career.
A two-term board member, Dr. Balch believes that “American Autoimmune Diseases Related Association and Virginia Ladd were crucial factors in the [public] education and [development of] treatment of these diseases.”
American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association Salutes Autoimmune Hero Edward K. Christian in recognition for his…
•making significant contributions to autoimmune awareness by donating production services, voice talent and airtime on his more than 60 radio stations around the country for multiple public service campaigns over the years.
With 18 years of service as a board advisor and one-term as a board member, Edward has been a big supporter of AARDA’s mission since literally the beginning. As a family with multiple autoimmune problems (Ankylosing Spondylitis, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Raynaud’s phenomenon), Edward felt it was imperative to understand and work to channel and direct funding of research in both immunity and autoimmunity. By supporting AARDA, Edward saw the organization being able to provide hope, understanding and information for a broad number of autoimmune situations.
“There are so many organizations and precious little time and funds…but only one takes a top level view of autoimmunity and it is AARDA.”
American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association Salutes
Autoimmune Hero Howard E. Hagon in recognition for his …
•generously sharing his keen business acumen, first as an unofficial advisor as AARDA was being formed, then as a board member serving on multiple committees to today as a trusted board advisor.
A board member since 1997 and recognized by unanimous vote as a founding board member in 2014, Howard found out about AARDA when he contacted Virginia Ladd about a dear family member with autoimmune disease. Through that initial experience, he learned the value of the encouragement of and the knowledge guidance offered by AARDA’s volunteers, all of whom were united in a life-saving cause. Many autoimmune patients and their families, past, present and future, will benefit because of Howard’s loyal support of AARDA and its mission.
I would like to thank Virginia Ladd and all the board members past and present for their dedication to AARDA and for all they have accomplished in recognizing the autoimmune diseases. It has been my pleasure to serve on the board.” American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association Salutes
Autoimmune Hero Stephanie Hales in recognition for her…
•making a tremendous difference in AARDA’s ability to weigh-in on advocacy issues affecting autoimmune patients with governmental regulators and congressional offices. In addition, she provides direction and advice for AARDA’s Advocacy committee.
As a relatively new board advisor, serving since 2014, and an individual with autoimmunity herself from an autoimmune family, Stephanie has built her legal practice, and much of her life overall, on her passion for ensuring that access to healthcare and well-being, regardless of one’s circumstances, is a reality and not a dream. She describes her work with AARDA as an honor and privilege, helping to increase awareness, advance research, pursue advocacy, and do all that we can to improve the lives of the millions of people affected by autoimmune disease.
“I am grateful to be even just a small part of the tremendous progress that AARDA has achieved in its first 25 years—and the continued progress that is underway and on the horizon. And I am overjoyed and deeply humbled to be seen as a hero in the eyes of those who are heroes to me.”
American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association Salutes
Autoimmune Hero Michelle Ouellet in recognition for her… •loyalty and commitment to AARDA, first founding AARDA’s Mid-Atlantic Chapter in the mid-90’s, as well as organizing fundraising events and, as a lawyer, providing legal oversight as needed.
•role as an instrumental member of AARDA’s Ad Hoc Advocacy Committee, providing a strong voice for autoimmune disease and AARDA on Capitol Hill.
A board member since 2004 and the current Board Secretary, Michelle learned about AARDA when her daughter was diagnosed with autoimmune uveitis at age 7 and was driven to find out everything she could about autoimmunity. The more she learned, Michelle discovered that hers was an autoimmune family, with three generations of women stricken by different diseases – rheumatoid arthritis, pulmonary fibrosis and uveitis. ”I know AARDA's work will help one day prevent other little girls from suffering the fate of my grandmother, mother and daughter. This is why I have been a steadfast supporter of AARDA, almost from the beginning. After all, we are supposed to leave this world a better place, right? AARDA is one amazing little organization that has, in fact, done so. I am proud to have been a part of this amazing group of people.”
American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association Salutes
Autoimmune Hero Rev. Herb G. Ford in recognition for his… • commitment to AARDA since its founding, providing sage financial advice and helping AARDA secure free office space in its start-up years allowing it to save and direct funds for much needed awareness and research programs.
A board member for 16 years and current Chairman through 2017, Herb has also been a diligent fundraiser for many years. He intends to continue working with AARDA to raise awareness and funds for those struggling with autoimmune disease. He and his wife have a personal interest since their daughter has multiple sclerosis.
“I am dedicated to AARDA because of its unrelenting work to not only increase awareness of autoimmune diseases but also to improve the effectiveness of diagnosis and research on new treatments. I really love the work that AARDA does to promote awareness of AD and to encourage young scientists to pursue research careers in the field.”
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