Saturday, June 20, 2015
Dolph Picnic Area, Riverside Park
147 King Street East,
Cambridge, ON Canada

Download complete details including map

Register now!

Please join us in the great outdoors for a tasty summer BBQ, some fun, and help raise awareness, and funds for vasculitis research. This year, we’ll feature some great family fun with a “host” of interactive animals from Zoo-To-You! See http://www.zootoyou.ca and you’ll get the idea!

As in the past, the 17th. Annual VFC Picnic and Walk will be located in the Dolph picnic area at Riverside Park, 147 King Street East, Cambridge, Ontario.  Donated prizes for the silent auction etc. are always needed and welcome, please let us know if you can contribute something.

And, Dr. Siminovitch will be in attendance June 20th, at Riverside Park, to collect more samples for her urgently needed fresh blood samples from GPA (Wegener’s) and MPA patients. She is more than half way to reaching her minimum target of 50 samples, lets help her quickly reach, or beat, that target! Furthermore, she’ll collect DNA samples for all 26 vasculitic diseases, especially Behcet’s and GCA, see below for more info. 

Don’t forget Sunday, June 21st. is Father’s Day which is an ideal time to make a donation, or walk, or get involved in some way to honour your father!  Consider buying him a gift at the silent auction or even a fancy VFC Tee Shirt!  Hey, why not bring your father and make it a family event?

This year we have chosen to rename our 17th. Annual VFC Picnic and walk in honour of our two co-founders, The VFC Founders Walk to Fund Vasculitis Research – 26 Reasons to Walk, in memory of Gary Timmons and Peter Gery. 

As you know, Walk sponsors contribute to you, and they get a tax deduction receipt for their donation.  Even if you are not able to attend the event in person, or walk, we will have volunteer walkers, walk for you!  You can help make a difference from anywhere, just let us know you need a volunteer walker!

Registration

You can register and sign up to attend the picnic, walk, or make a donation to the 17th. Annual VFC Picnic and Walk on Saturday, June 20, 2015 at: http://www.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=1131886

You can also sign up your sponsors online or by using the VFC 2015 donation pledge sheets!

You also know fundraising for vasculitis research is not exactly common, so we need to work twice as hard to raise funds.  And, you can easily spread the word on social media during the registration process, so give it a try.  Even if you are not able to walk, or are too far away to attend, please consider organizing your own “remote walk” or make a donation. And remember, no donation is too small, or too BIG! 

We are sure your family and friends will support your, and our, goal to heighten awareness while helping to raise much needed research funds.  You can also register for the 17th Annual VFC Picnic & Walk, by calling Carol Moller at 1 519 452-7011.

Complete details for both events, including directions, map, and VFC 2015 donation pledge sheets (in both legal and letter sizes), can be found by clicking here. 

Dr. Siminovitch Study Update

Lab draws start 1PM (and maybe a bit earlier), June 20, 2015, Riverside Park 

Thank you again to all of you who responded to Dr. Siminovitch’s appeal for urgently needed fresh blood samples.  We had a great turnout at our AGM in April, in fact they ran out of supplies! However, they urgently need about 20 more new GPA/MPA samples to increase the size of this small, but very important, study to hopefully identify the potential stimulus in the already identified exact single gene change, in the HLA gene region, that is implicated in GPA, & maybe MPA!

If you had intended to participate in this study, but could not because they ran out of supplies, or couldn’t make it, then please consider attending the VFC picnic in Riverside Park, this time they will have extra supplies!

From GPA & MPA patients only, she needs fresh blood cell samples, not DNA which most of us have already donated.  This means all GPA and MPA patients can re-donate!  In addition, to the urgently needed GPA & MPA samples, she will also collect DNA samples from ALL vasculitis patients, so if you still have not donated your DNA for her genetic studies NOW IS THE TIME to consider doing it!  And, even if you did participate in the April lab draw a small number of patients are encouraged to repeat your labs as a “ double check” in June.  Finally, study controls (husbands and wives are ideal as they are not blood related), are always welcome and needed too!

Also, don’t forget that VFC has a special target to collect 100 DNA samples each from Behcet’s and Giant Cell Arteritis patients for advanced genetics study.  This is another opportunity for all vasculitis patients to donate your DNA and advance the cause of vasculitis genetics research.

Please note: all GPA and MPA patients, who are donating fresh blood samples, and have already donated their DNA previously, still need to complete a patient consent form.  Furthermore, on the back of the last sheet of the consent form please indicate: what “meds” (including your dosage), you are currently taking; when your last lab tests were done, and the complete contact info of the main Doctor who treats your condition, including full address, phone and fax numbers.

If you have never participated in any of Dr. Siminovitch’s studies you should complete both the consent form and patient information form.  Copies of both forms will be available from Dr. Siminovitch at the picnic and walk. 

If you have questions regarding these studies, or need the study forms, please contact Jon Stewart at: [email protected]

When you register online, or by phone, please “tick” the study box if you are willing to participate in the Picnic Lab draws so we know how many to expect.

On behalf of the Board, we hope to see you, your family, and friends on Saturday, June 20th, 2015. 

Don’t miss it, and bring the whole family for a summer BBQ!  One way, or the other, join us in walking for a great cause.

Keep well, and get out those walking shoes and join us!

Jon Stewart
President
Vasculitis Foundation Canada /Fondation vasculites Canada