On behalf of our OMF Team, including our Board of Directors, Scientific Advisory Board, and patients around the world, thank you for your impactful support helping to make 2018 a banner year in ME / CFS research.
With more than $9 million raised in 2018, we are able to accelerate our efforts to engage more researchers and clinicians towards understanding the molecular basis of ME / CFS, finding effective treatments and creating innovative diagnostic technologies. As we begin the new year, please accept our sincerest gratitude.
This past year, most notably, we expanded the OMF-funded ME / CFS Collaborative Research Center at Stanford University and launched the OMF-funded ME / CFS Collaborative Research Activities at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and the Harvard Affiliated Hospitals. We also funded several other critical research projects.
Below are highlights of the past year’s achievements:
- Over 170 active volunteers worldwide supported our mission.
- Communicated with our community in more than 100 countries.
- Translate our communications in 15 languages.
- Sponsored the Second Annual Community Symposium on the Molecular Basis of ME / CFS at Stanford University with free Livestream to a cumulative attendance of over 5,000 people worldwide.
- Sponsored our annual 3-day science meeting with a working group of over 50 researchers.
- Linda Tannenbaum visited Italy, the Netherlands and several U.S. cities to share hope via OMF’s End ME / CFS Worldwide Tour.
- Linda Tannenbaum, Ronald W. Davis, PhD, and Ronald Tompkins, MD, ScD, cumulatively delivered over 20 presentations about ME / CFS throughout the U.S. and internationally.
- Linda Tannenbaum named Advocate of the Year (2017) by ProHealth.
- Stuart Murdoch, Belle and Sebastian lead singer, became an OMF Ambassador.
- Through the power of community and compassion, OMF Teams around the world raised over $155,000 from 30+ individual creative events, in addition to another $200,000 thanks to incredible Facebook fundraisers, raising a total of $355,000.
- OMF was awarded Platinum Status from Guidestar and 2018 Top-Rated Status from Great NonProfits.
2018 Research Overview
Defining Molecular Immunology, Investigating Pathogenesis
Developing Diagnostic Technologies
- Nanoneedle biosensor
- Magnetic levitation
- Red blood cell deformability technology in ME / CFS; Recent publication in Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation
Data Exploration
- Results from the ME / CFS Severely ill Big Data Study made available to registered researchers via our online ME / CFS data center.
- Extended big data study in families and overall scientific plan at the ME / CFS Collaborative Research Center at Stanford.
- Steroids, Autoantibodies, and Proteomics
- Harvard ME / CFS Collaborative Research Activities begins preparation for muscle biopsy studies and more.
Thank you for helping us to achieve this important growth in 2018. We look forward to scaling up our activities in 2019 and accelerating our work further to find answers. Click here if you wish to read more about OMF Milestones.
With hope for all,
Linda Tannenbaum
Founder & CEO/President
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