When you think that you are the only family faced with this disease, you feel so isolated. Hearing the experiences of all the families, you realize that we are all in the same boat, and thank goodness for the VHL Family Alliance. -- Sue L., Canada

We Need Your Help! -- by Peggy M.
Meet the Board of Directors
Research Report, by Myriam Gorospe, Ph.D., Director of Research
Special Thanks to our Volunteers!
Public Education initiatives -- by Jay Platt
Challenge! -- a corporate donor supports VHLFA and others
Teamwork for Health -- quotes from conference attendees
Let's Cure VHL in this Decade!
Progress -- Annual Report of disbursements

There are two large meetings in 2002. We hope you will be able to attend one of them.

Cleveland, October 11-13, 2002

Padua, June 6-8, 2002

The Cleveland meeting, chaired by Dr. Robert Uzzo of the Fox-Chase Cancer Center and Cleveland Clinic, is a continuing medical education (CME) conference for primary care physicians and any other family member or medical professional who would like to join us and learn about VHL. The level of language will be suitable for a family physician or a relatively well-informed lay person. People who are attending a conference for the first time are encouraged to attend "VHL 101," a workshop with Joyce Graff on Friday morning, to get to know one another and to introduce the language and concepts that will be heard in the meeting.

The Padua meeting is the Symposium we hold every two years, gathering the medical experts on VHL together to collaborate and move the level of knowledge about VHL significantly forward. This meeting is being chaired by Dr. Giuseppe Opocher. Papers are being accepted now for participation in that meeting. Families are welcome to attend. The level of language will be highly scientific, especially in the early part of the meeting. Events are being planned for European families on Friday and Saturday. VHLFA volunteers, and people who want to help grow VHLFA in their own countries should plan to stay as long as possible on Sunday.

Families should choose the meeting nearest them. We move the meetings around so that at some point it should be within reach. If you want the meeting to be closer to you next time, please volunteer to create a meeting!

For details see articles on Cleveland or Padua, or see www.vhl.org/conf2002

As printed in the VHL Family Forum 9:5, December 2001. For permission to reprint, please contact VHL Family Alliance, editor@vhl.org. Further information is available from the VHL Family Alliance, info@vhl.org.