Honoring
Dr. Robert Rothbaum
Distinguished Pediatric Gastroenterologist In celebration of our
30th anniversary,
012 bera3l G, 2 Novem ardens ri Botanic Missou
FIT TO BENE
the Mid-America chapter of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America is hosting a gala to raise funds and awareness for Camp Oasis and medical research. 314.863.4747
Jessica Reif, whose struggle with scleroderma inspired ‘Stepping Out for a Cure.’
presents
Why did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha and Mohammed Cross the Road? author Brian D. McLaren discusses Christian identity in a multi-faith world and proposes a new faith alternative built on “benevolence and solidarity rather than rivalry and hostility.” reCeptIOn & BOOK sIGnInG tO FOLLOW
Monday, September 17 • 7:30 pm • Free and Open to All Ladue Chapel Presbyterian Church | 9450 Clayton Road, St. Louis 63124 314-993-4771 x3111 | www.lee institute.net
M e M ory C a r e HoM e S olu t ion S
6th AnnuAl
Memories and Melodies October 25, 2012
Dinner C Ommit tee 2012 Alzheimer’s Community Service Awardees: Suzanne and Earle Harbison, Jr. Evening Honorary Co-Chairs: Betty and David C. Farrell Mary Lee and Bob Hermann Pat and William A. Peck Founder & Executive Director: Lisa Baron Board President: Matthew Thayer Mrs. Mary Randolph Ballinger Mr. and Mrs. Clarence C. Barksdale Mr. Charles B. Baron Mr. and Mrs. Morton D. Baron Rev. Lawrence Biondi, S.J. Mr. and Mrs. Van-Lear Black Senator and Mrs. Kit Bond Mr. and Mrs. Dolph Bridgewater, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. James Buford Mr. and Mrs. Spencer B. Burke Mr. and Mrs. William H. T. Bush Mr. and Mrs. John Capps Mr. and Mrs. William E. Cornelius Mr. and Mrs. Andrew B. Craig, III Dr. William H. Danforth Senator and Mrs. John C. Danforth Mr. and Mrs. Terry Diamond Dr. and Mrs. Timothy J. Eberlein Mr. and Mrs. Julian I. Edison Mr. and Mrs. Howard Elliott Mr. and Mrs. David N. Farr Mr. David D. Farrell, Jr. and Mrs. Helene Urdoaz Ambassador and Mrs. Sam Fox Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey L. Fox Mr. and Mrs. Robert Frailey Mr. Harris Frank
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Grote Mr. E. Douglas Harbison Mr. and Mrs. Keith Harbison Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Hays Mr. Frederick Hermann Mr. and Mrs. Robert R. Hermann, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Rick Holton Mr. and Mrs. Joseph F. Imbs Mrs. Betty S. Johnson Mr. and Mrs. Harry O. Johnston Mr. Leonard Lauder Dr. and Mrs. Robert Lefton Mr. and Mrs. Ned O. Lemkemeier Mr. and Mrs. Lee M. Liberman Mrs. Carol Loeb Mr. and Mrs. John Peters MacCarthy Mr. and Mrs. James S. McDonnell III Mrs. Sanford McDonnell Mr. and Mrs. John McDonnell Dr. Steven Miller and Dr. Victoria Fraser Mr. and Mrs. Richard G. Millman Mr. and Mrs. Bob Millstone Mr. and Mrs. Timothy O’Leary Mr. Roy Pfautch Drs. Sheila K. and Maurice B. Pickard Mr. and Mrs. Robert Quenon Drs. Pat and Peter H. Raven
Mr. and Mrs. Denny Reagan Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Ritter Mr. and Mrs. John R. Roberts Mr. and Mrs. William C. Rusnack Mr. Craig D. Schnuck Mr. and Mrs. Mark Schnuck Dr. and Mrs. Larry J. Shapiro Mr. and Mrs. John Shepley Mr. and Mrs. Walter Stern Mr. and Mrs. Donald H. Streett Dr. Donald Suggs Mr. Jack C. Taylor Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Thayer Mr. and Mrs. Eugene M. Toombs Mr. and Mrs. Tom Voss Ambassador and Mrs. G. H. Walker Mr. and Mrs. John K. Wallace, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Mahlon B. Wallace Mr. and Mrs. John D. Weil Dr. Virginia Weldon Mr. and Mrs. David Wells Mr. and Mrs. Joe Werner Mr. and Mrs. Sage Wightman Ms. Donna Wilkinson Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Williams Chancellor Mark Wrighton and Ms. Risa Zwerling
For more info about Sponsorship Opportunities, Tickets or Program Ads call Erin Kelley at 314-645-6247 or email: ekelley@memoryCareHS.org or visit www.memoryCareHS.org
Special thanks to each individual on this list. Their commitment to our organization and honoring the work done in our community is an inspiration each day. 16 |
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september 12, 2012
Photo courtesy of the Reif family
cover story
SCLERODERMA] FOUNDATION by tony di martino
Jessica Reif was a natural athlete, excelling at everything from gymnastics to field hockey. She could run as fast as the boys, and held the record for pogo-stick jumping at Claymont Elementary School. One day right before her ninth birthday, she was pitching a softball game when she started having trouble gripping the ball. “My fingers feel numb,” she mentioned to her mother, Ann. Jessica’s parents took her to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with scleroderma. Scleroderma is a chronic connective tissue disease that attacks the autoimmune system and can destroy organs. If you’ve never heard of it, you’re not alone. “It affects a relatively small percentage of the population,” says Mary Blades, president of Scleroderma Foundation Missouri Chapter. “Unfortunately, that makes research funding a low priority.” About 300,000 people in the United States have some form of the disease, which can vary greatly in severity and symptoms and range from mild to life-threatening. “Within two years of diagnosis, Jessica’s scleroderma had caused multiple health problems, including sky-high blood pressure, a renal crisis and congestive heart failure,” Ann Reif recalls. Unable to attend school or play sports, she kept up with her studies at home. “Even then, she could still beat her four siblings at Ms. Pacman,” Reif says. Jessica lived five years with the disease, passing away in 2001, a few months after her 13th birthday. Knowing that Jessica had wanted to raise awareness of the little-known disease, the Reifs began Jessica Reif Stepping Out for a Cure, a 3.5-mile walk/run benefiting scleroderma research. Today, the walk is hosted by Scleroderma Foundation Missouri Chapter. This year’s event takes place Sept. 22 at Tremayne Pavilion in Creve Coeur Park. Co-chairs are Debbie Morris, Rhonda Costa and Mary Bizzle. All proceeds go to Scleroderma Foundation, which supports research and education. There is no known cause or cure for scleroderma, but thanks to advances in treatment, many patients are successfully managing it. “We’ve never been closer to finding a cure,” Blades says. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh recently discovered a key peptide that reduces certain characteristics of the disease; the next step is human clinical trials. “We’ve come so far, but research requires money. We hope St. Louisans support Stepping Out for a Cure, so people like Jessica can lead longer, more productive lives—with renewed hope for the future.” Jessica Reif Stepping Out for a Cure, a walk/run benefiting Scleroderma Foundation Missouri Chapter, takes place Sept. 22 at Tremayne Pavilion in Creve Coeur Park. Pictured on the cover: front, from left, Foundation board members Debbie Morris, Mary Blades; second row, Rhonda Douglas, Leslie Riley, Mary Bizzle; back row, Jeff Costa, Caitlin Bevan and Ben Blades. Not pictured: Nan Bommarito (Jessica’s grandmother), Rhonda Costa, Don Linn, Karen Lovingier, Rachel O’Brien, Greg Peters and Bev Pogue. For more information, call 314.567.1260 or visit firstgiving.com/scl-mo. Cover design by gayle van dyke | Cover photo by bill barrett