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

Physicians and Scientists are invited to submit papers for presentation at the 5th International Symposium on VHL, Padova, Italy, 6-8 June 2002.

Provisional list of topics:

New insight into the VHL protein functions
Genotype phenotype alignment
Early discovery of new VHL patients
Expanding possibilities for accurate assessment
News from VHL clinical care centers
VHL in children
Organ transplantation in VHL patients
Therapeutic progress, from old and new drugs to gene therapy

Please send proposals to Dr. Opocher, with a copy to editor@vhl.org:

Prof. Giuseppe Opocher

Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche

via Ospedale, 105

35128 Padova, ITALIA

Tel: +39 49 821-3023

Fax: +39 49 657391

E-mail: giuseppe.opocher@unipd.it

Travel to Italy

Though our world is in turmoil, we must try to do as the experts and our leaders recommend -- we must proceed with positive intentions. People touched with VHL seem to have heard that too often. As we look for positive events in our lives, let's use Padua as a goal!

There are several lovely (spa) villages close to Padua; Abana and Montegrotto for example; both easily reached by bus. If you decide on a vacation in Italy, your options could be endless!

-- Jacki Hunsberger, CTC, Odyssey Travel

Tel: +1 (610) 222-0550 or (US/Canada) 800-972-3178

Fax: +1 (610) 222-0520

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.