Today Open Medicine Foundation Canada (OMFCA) launches its fourth annual #MayMomentum campaign to commemorate ME/CFS International Awareness Day on May 12 and honor the millions of lives disrupted by chronic complex diseases.
May Momentum is an extraordinary effort by OMF and OMFCA to increase awareness and raise funds to energize nearly 20 OMF-funded research projects conducted by the OMF Research Collaborative. Our studies strive to find answers, treatments, and a cure for ME/CFS and related chronic complex illnesses, including Post Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and Post COVID Syndrome (also known as Long COVID).
On this first day, we are thrilled to announce that OMF has received an incredibly generous grant from the Khosla Family Foundation of $1,000,000 to advance this critically needed research!
The grant will fund groundbreaking research projects being conducted at the OMF-funded ME/CFS Collaboration at Uppsala University, directed by Dr. Jonas Bergquist, and Melbourne ME/CFS Collaboration, led by Dr. Christopher Armstrong.
“Identifying disease development pathways and exacerbating factors”
This study, conducted by the Melbourne Collaboration, will investigate the hypothesis that ME/CFS has a central energy metabolism issue underlying its common symptoms. This study will use grant funds to analyze and compare data from the UK Biobank with datasets Melbourne obtained from three other research entities.
“Identifying objective behavioral markers of deficit in patients with ME/CFS”
Also led by the Melbourne Collaboration, the objective of this study is to identify ocular motor (eye control) measures in the brain unique to people with ME/CFS. This project will be done in collaboration with Monash University.
“Analyzing cerebrospinal fluid and plasma samples through proteomics and metabolomics”
Led by the Uppsala ME/CFS Collaboration, researchers will collect additional samples of cerebrospinal fluid and plasma from ME/CFS participants and analyze them through proteomics (the large-scale study of proteins) and metabolomics (analysis of the metabolism) to further researchers’ understanding of the underlying causes of the disease through current research at Uppsala.
Also led by the Melbourne Collaboration, the objective of this study is to identify ocular motor (eye control) measures in the brain unique to people with ME/CFS. This project will be done in collaboration with Monash University.
OMF extends our sincere gratitude to the Khosla Family Foundation for their generosity and investment in the OMF Collaborative for ME/CFS research. We also would like to thank Dr. Bergquist and Dr. Armstrong for their commitment to finding treatments and a cure for millions suffering from chronic complex diseases.
It’s only through the power of community that we will find answers. This #MayMomentum we invite you to help accelerate research into these life-altering diseases — here’s just a few ways you can get involved:
When you support OMFCA, this critical research gains momentum — and with you on our team, we remain hopeful answers will be found. Thank you for your support!
When you support OMFCA, this critical research gains momentum — and with you on our team, we remain hopeful answers will be found. Thank you for your support!
Donate your appreciated stock directly to OMFCA and you can receive an immediate income-tax deduction for the fair market value of the securities on the date of transfer (even if you originally paid much less for them).
OMFCA sells your securities and uses the proceeds to support our mission. You also do not pay capital gains tax on the transfer when the stock is sold. Giving appreciated stock can be more beneficial than giving cash. The “cost” of your gift is often less than the deduction you gain by making it. In advance, thank you for making this generous gift.
Gifting of Stock Instructions
Brokerage/Investment Firm: TD Waterhouse
Name on the Account: Open Medicine Foundation Canada
Account Number: 20LRHLA
OMFCA Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) charity registration #: 74926 5518 RR0001
OMF Canada Registered Address:
Open Medicine Foundation Canada
2987 Baynes Road, Victoria, BC V8N-1Y4
Phone Number: 416-848-0055
Please speak to your personal tax advisor and then call OMFCA at 650-242-8669 to notify us of your donation or with any questions.