We'll be starting a rather offbeat but hopefully successful charitable endeavor at the end of the summer and welcome any suggestions any of you can provide. No were not asking you for money, relax, it's safe! You can keep reading.
Nearly 120 million Americans are living with some type of chronic illness. 22% of Americans are living with two or more chronic illnesses. If those numbers seem too high, look at some of the threads of other Airstreamers dealing with a raft of health issues as they travel. Because the symptoms are often invisible, and because they not only vary dramatically for each disease, but even people with the same disease can have very different experiences, it is difficult for most people to understand what is involved.
We hope to build awareness and raise funds to find a cure for MS, Parkinson's and perhaps other chronic diseases. We'll be traveling to different parts of the country (Patti, our dog Elvis, and me). Each area we go to I will be presenting lectures for the National MS Society and the Fox Foundation local chapters. These might include:
- Lectures will be conducted for accountants, attorneys and financial planners on charitable giving, or estate planning for chronic illness. Free professional education credits will be given under the sponsorship of a national organization Lorman Education Services.
- Presentations for those living with MS, Parkinson's and other diseases on special estate planning steps they can take.
- Discussions with planned giving boards and fund raisers at the various chapters.
- Meeting with prospective donors.
Much of my volunteer work has been focused on helping the charities do charitable planning to raise money - trusts, complex tax techniques, etc. Educating professionals and local chapter boards will hopefully help these great charities, and others, raise more money for their worthwhile causes and help those living with these difficult diseases through raising awareness and raising donations to fund more research and programs.
Since we'll be on the road and plan to hit different areas each trip. This will hopefully become a charitable giving "road show".
Hopefully we can create a buzz of awareness about the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, and other chronic illness charities, raise more money for MS research and other charities serving people living with chronic illness, and help fund
a cure! This phrase comes from the title of a series of books for chronic illness charities each called
Funding the Cure. See the Demos Health's website:
Search Results - Demos Medical Publishing
100% of the royalties from all the books goes to these causes.
We've set up a website to help with these endeavors
www.rv4thecure.com
(we're forming a charity and will eventually change it to .org).
We are planning to head through PA and OH to Indianapolis and on to Detroit before and after Labor Day. We have programs in process in Indianapolis and Detroit.
We need help getting programs set up in Ohio and PA, perhaps a local charity you know could benefit, perhaps a bank or insurance firm has a large boardroom and would be interested in hosting a program. The costs will be covered; we just need the interest and support. Any suggestions would be welcome.
Thanks.