2011 - National Alopecia Areata Foundation

FUNDRAISERS
FILMS
FUN
• Miss Delaware 2010 Kayla Martell used her unique position as a Miss America contestant to work on behalf of alopecia
areata awareness, as well as attending NAAF’s 26th International Conference in Los Angeles.
“As Miss Delaware and now in my regular life my priority each day is to help one more person know what it means to
have alopecia areata; then I know I’ve done a good deed that day and I’ve changed one life.” — KAYLA MARTELL
• Kayla was also present at the first annual “Have a Ball and Bowl” fundraiser, presented by the Wilmington Delaware
Support Group. The kids enjoyed learning from Kayla that alopecia areata has not prevented her from achieving her goals.
Everyone loved a day of knocking down pins, and close to $9,000 was raised for alopecia areata research.
• NAAF partnered with 14 Major League Baseball teams to present 22 Awareness Events, beginning with Rebecca Hibbs
singing the National Anthem at a Nashville Sounds game in May and climaxing with a slew of events during Alopecia
Areata Awareness Month in September. Events included pregame ceremonies, awareness booths, pitching clinics,
honorary batboys and girls, video PSAs, honorary first pitches, scoreboard messages . . . even an in-game interview.
In total 14,000 NAAF bracelets were distributed and $15,000 was raised.
• Happythankyoumoreplease, a comedy-drama featuring a female character with alopecia areata, came to theaters in
March. Written and directed by Josh Radnor (Ted Mosby on How I Met Your Mother), the film featured a character named
“Annie” based on Josh’s real-life friend, Rachel Fleit. The Fleits have been longtime supporters of NAAF, and Rachel was
our guest speaker at the 2010 Annual NAAF Conference in Indianapolis. Happythankyoumoreplease is now available on
DVD, and we highly recommend it!
“William James once said, ‘Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.’ That is exactly the feeling of the Tortoise
& Hair TM Pittsburgh staff. In 2007, my feelings about this disease were ones of anger, loneliness and sadness. Today?
I just feel blessed. ” — AMANDA SHANNON
• The Tortoise & Hair run/walk continued as NAAF’s premier nationwide awareness and fundraising event. Almost $7,000
was raised at the 5K run in Wadesboro, North Carolina, put together by Hoy and Gwen Lanning on October 7. Two days
later at a Pittsburgh run/walk organized by Amanda Shannon 120 people registered to participate and 15 organizations
sponsored the event.
• On October 27, 2011, Pat’s Fund (www.patsfund.org) held its annual Living with Autoimmunity luncheon, focusing on
the tendency of autoimmune diseases to run in families. The luncheon was also an opportunity to announce the launch of
the Autoimmune Advocacy Alliance (A3). A3 seeks to coordinate the advocacy organizations related to more than eighty
autoimmune diseases in one consortium that can more effectively raise awareness of these conditions. With the launch of
1985
AWARENESS &
4
Congress declares
July 7 to 13 Alopecia
Areata Awareness Week.
1986
NAAF creates its first video,
“Everything You Ever Wanted to
Know About Alopecia Areata.”
1990
NAAF gets full hour segment on the
Geraldo Show, as well as segments on
Northwest Washington Afternoon,
P.M. Magazine, People Are Talking,
and The Today Show.
1991
NAAF testifies before a
Congressional Subcommittee,
the first of 10 oral testimonies.
1994
Benefit screening of
the film North raises
$60,000 for NAAF
and the Children’s
Village in New York.
1998
NAAF receives the Excellence in Education
Award from the American Academy of
Dermatology (AAD) for the information it
provides to patients, families, physicians,
politicians and the general public.
1997
NAAF’s 15th Anniversary Gala,
held in San Francisco, honors
Drs. Lowell Goldsmith and Vera Price.
The event raises $180,000.