A very generous gentleman artist from the Netherlands has donated two more lovely paintings of Berners to help raise money for cancer research. Willem Wijnberg, a hobby painter, lost his Berner several years ago to cancer. Willem is legally blind and uses special tools to paint his beautiful Berner portraits. He wants to help us raise more money to go towards the study being done in the Ostrander Lab at The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington. Heidi Parker and her colleagues are trying to identify the DNA variants that cause Malignant Histiocytosis. Once an association is found, the team will define the region of the dog genome that is associated with Malignant Histiocytosis and they will then begin searching for the markers and mutations that contribute to developing the disease. The efforts of these researchers will, it is hoped, lead, in the next three to four years, to a DNA test using associated markers for this disease. By the way, if you have a dog of any age who has been diagnosed with Malignant Histiocytosis or a ten year or older dog who has never been diagnosed with any type of histiocytosis, you can donate a blood sample to this study. Heidi currently has 31 samples from control dogs and 17 samples from dogs with Malignant Histiocytosis. She needs at least 9 more samples from control dogs and 23 samples from dogs with Malignant Histiocytosis in order to start her study. Please consider being part of this study - the Berners you help and their owners will be forever thankful if this leads to finding a marker for this dreaded disease or leads to finding a cure.
Karen Pickel has once again made a terrific website for our fundraiser, so you can see Willem's paintings. Be sure to check it out and to also click on the link for information on the study and how you can help:
http://www.overthefence.com/raffle/histio/
The first painting (14 x 10 inches) - Willem titled this painting "Mother and Daughter." This is based on a beautiful photo that Pat Long took of Dottie Schulte's two Berners, who were father and son.
The second painting (14 x 10 inches) - Willem named this painting "NEW HAPPINESS" and is a puppy from the litter of Fiona Gordon. The puppy's name is Bella. Be sure to read the story of this title on Karen Pickel's web site.
The fundraiser runs from today, February 25th through April 5th, 2003. I have given the price of tickets in ten different currencies so it is easier for those not living in the USA to send in their contributions to this fundraiser.
Jean Cheesman and Willem Wijnberg have already contacted clubs in several other countries about publicizing this fundraiser among it's members.
If you are sending US fund, please make your checks payable to "AKC CHF" (contributions to AKC CHF are tax deductible and are matched at 50% by the AKC) and in the memo part of your check, write "Grant #2214."
As usual, I can accept foreign cheques, with no extra charge from my bank. Make these cheques payable to "Joye M. Neff," so I can convert them to US dollars.
Please mail your check to: Joye M. Neff 1182 Firwood Drive Pittsburgh, PA 15243-1825
Please send me the following information with your check:
Name
Address
Phone Number
E-Mail Address
How you want to distribute your ticketsWillem insisted that this fundraiser be in memory of my Berner, Winston, who lost the battle to Malignant Histiocytosis on Jan. 4th, 2003. I insisted that it be in memory of all Berners who have lost their lives to this terrible cancer. We compromised and it is both!
Jean Cheesman, from the UK, has made a wonderful Histio Roll Call web site that has photos and stories of some of the Berners who left their owners much too soon because of this disease. Be sure that you visit the site to see these very special, loving Berners: http://www.angelfire.com/anime3/longlease/histiorollcall.htm
Last year, we raised a total of $5595 for the study of malignant histiocytosis. I would like us to TOP that number with this fundraiser. Remember that the AKC matches your donation at a rate of 50% so for every dollar you give, fifty cents is donated as a matching amount.
Please help us fight Malignant Histiocytosis. There are far too many young and old Berners who lose the battle to this terrible disease every day. We need to find a way to eliminate Malignant Histiocytosis. Won't you please be part of the solution - we CAN and WILL make a difference!!
Joye Neff and Nick (Ben)
In loving memory of SeaVaRidge's Winston Poohbear (1998-2003) Malignant Histiocytosis
In loving memory of Bern Aare Jamar (1985-1994) Mast Cell Cancer
In loving memory of Samantha (1984-2003) Old age (Shepherd mix)
In loving memory of Gwendolyn's Bobdog (1971-1985) Old age (Beagle)
Mt. Lebanon, Pittsburgh, PA
