MAY is NATIONAL BRAIN TUMOR AWARENESS MONTH
5/30/2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 29, 2008
Contact: Linda Magiera
(847) 561-1199
lisad@laafinc.com; www.laafinc.org


May is National Brain Tumor Awareness Month
The Lori Arquilla Andersen Foundation Has Key Role in Congress’ Decision

The Lori Arquilla Andersen Foundation (LAAF) is proud to announce May as National Brain Tumor Awareness Month. LAAF worked together with Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Congressman Peter Roskam (R-IL) to seek passage of a House Resolution aimed at recognizing a National Brain Tumor Awareness Month. The resolution was unanimously approved.

“This is a major milestone in the fight against brain cancer,” stated Lisa Dodge, LAAF executive director/co-founder and sister of Lori Arquilla Andersen. “I believe that we are finally on our way to fulfilling Lori’s dream and hope of raising awareness and helping victims and loved ones deal with this devastating disease.”

Each year more than 200,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with a primary or metastatic brain tumor. Brain tumors do not discriminate against age, gender, ethnicity, overall fitness, or socioeconomic status. They can change your personality, your ability to communicate, walk and see. Everyone is a potential victim. There is no known cause and no known cure. Although they occur less frequently than some other cancers, each year close to 500 Americans a day are diagnosed with a primary or metastatic brain tumor. Approximately 13,000 Americans die from primary brain tumors each year – that’s more than 35 Americans a day.

“With May as National Brain Tumor Awareness Month, many national and local brain tumor groups will be able to collaborate, coordinate and concentrate their awareness efforts. This intense focus during the month of May will have a huge impact on research funds. The exposure is vital to our ability to get closer to a cure. With an awareness month specifically dedicated to brain tumors, there will be an increased interest in the issue. Where there is an interest, funding increases. Additional funding will speed up research which will ultimately lead to the cure” added Magiera, LAAF President/co-founder and mother of Lori.

Created in memory of Chicagoan Lori Arquilla Andersen, LAAF’s mission is to raise funds for awareness, advocacy and research to find the cure for brain cancer. Lori was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer (glioblastoma multiforme stage 4) at the age of 33, just 3 months after she was married. She survived for 22 months to the day after her first surgery, passing away on July 5, 2005.

Read about Lori's journey with brain cancer at: www.laafinc.org/lorierik/
Get to know Lori by viewing the video: live, love, laaf! at: www.youtube.com/laafinc.
Hear Cong. Schakowsky acknowledge LAAF as the heart and soul behind the effort to establish a brain tumor awareness month at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=FIjIVY_uHBw.

Interview Opps:
· Linda Magiera, mother of Lori and president/co-founder of LAAF (847/561-1199)
· Lisa Arquilla Dodge, sister of Lori and executive director/co-founder of LAAF (904/334-0124)

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