A note from the pablove foundation... Two is way better than one.

As you know, your generous support allowed The Pablove Foundation and the Viswanatha family to reach a major milestone in 2014. We funded not one, but two groundbreaking research projects that will help us find answers for Opsoclonus Myoclonus Syndrome and its connection to the childhood cancer neuroblastoma. The Viswanathas are like family to all of us at The Pablove Foundation, and making progress against OMS is a cause that is is very close to our hearts. As an "orphan" disease, OMS receives close to no funding or attention unless people like you and me get involved. The autoimmune disease attacks a child's neurological system, resulting in severe motor, cognitive, and behavioral complications. That's why we are so proud to have you by our side to fund two incredible initiatives to uncover answers! Our Scientific Advisory Committee chair (and head of oncology at Children's Hospital Los Angeles), Dr. Leo Mascarenhas, is a rockstar at explaining our scientific research grants. Here are two highlights from this summer's announcement that explain the projects we funded with your support: 11:03 - "Dr. Bethen Lang [of Oxford University] is going to use mass spectrometry, which is a technique to isolate [OMS] specific antigens. Antigens are things which cause the body to respond against them in [children with OMS]. So if we find a way of blocking antibodies from finding those [OMS] antigens, those antibodies won't attack the brain and won't attack the eyes and make them do these bizarre things." 11:40 - "Dr. Gregory Owens [of the University of Colorado Denver] is taking this one step further. [OMS] is caused by antibodies, which go and attack the brain and the spinal column and the eyes. And what makes antibodies are b-cells. So he has collaborated with a scientist who has collected spinal fluid from around the brain and is going to assess these antibodies in the fluid and then find ways in which he can stop the b-cells from producing these antibodies." Watch Dr. Leo Mascarenhas deliver the full report on the OMS Grants we funded in 2014 Thank you for helping us mark this milestone with the Viswanatha family. Because of your generous support, we are funding progress and fighting childhood cancer with love. with gratitude + pablove,  Megan McMillan Community Affairs Director  The Pablove Foundation  p.s. Read up on all six of the Childhood Cancer Research Grants that we awarded this year on the Pablove Blog.  p.p.s. Crystal and Naveen are riding Pablove Across America again this year! I can't wait to cheer for them at the finish line in New Orleans. Go Team V!