“Overwhelmed!” “Excited!” “Incredibly grateful!”at the Hypersomnia Foundation, we are thrilled beyond belief following our “Giving Tuesday” campaign that expanded beyond a single day and actually ran through the end of 2015. Your incredible generosity not only met, but far exceeded, the Board members’ challenge to match their pledges.
Inspired by your support and encouragement, we will make 2016, our third year, the Hypersomnia Foundation’s most effective and successful year. But, before we look forward, let’s take a moment to reflect on what you—the Hypersomnia Foundation’s donors, volunteers and supporters—made possible in 2015.
- The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke at the National Institutes of Health includes the Hypersomnia Foundation as a source of information on hypersomnia; http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/hypersomnia/hypersomnia.htm.
- The Board of Directors has expanded to seven members, who bring diverse knowledge and perspectives toward achieving the Foundation’s mission.
- The Medical Advisory Board, now comprising six world-renowned clinicians, reviews and approves all medical information that the Hypersomnia Foundation publishes.
- Awareness is growing: more than 1000 people now receive the SomnusNooze newsletter at least once a week, and physicians’ offices have distributed more than 2,000 brochures.
- The web-based Physician Directory launched in July and now provides contact information for more than 40 physicians.
- The successful 2015 Hypersomnia Conference provided education and support for the 240 attendees, including people with hypersomnia, healthcare professionals, researchers, and supporters from 28 states and 5 countries. Dr. Isabelle Arnulf’s keynote presentation led the way to break-out sessions, physician roundtable discussions, and research updates.
- SnoozeTV – created in 2015, and presented as a live-interactive broadcast through Google Hangout, will be undergoing a facelift in 2016, with a new format, as will other Hypersomnia Foundation social media platforms.
Every dollar given to the Hypersomnia Foundation ensures that this work continues and even expands. As an all-volunteer organization, the Hypersomnia Foundation has big plans for 2016, including increasing volunteer input, improving our means to keep you informed of the latest hypersomnia-related news, developing the Scientific and Corporate Advisory Boards, and building a research grants program.
With sincere thanks and gratitude,
The entire Board of the Hypersomnia Foundation