Hello Friends,
I am Tonita Webb, Board President for the Lupus Foundation of America’s Pacific Northwest Chapter. First, let me tell you a little about myself.
I am originally from Portsmouth, Virginia, but I now reside in Des Moines, WA. I currently work for a Seattle area credit union as the Vice President-Chief Human Resources Officer. I have been married to Brian for 18 years and we have four beautiful children. While I do not have lupus, I am very familiar with this devastating disease. My mother was diagnosed with lupus when I was five years old and she lost her battle with the disease in 2001.
After losing my mother, I felt compelled to help in some way.
My mission here in the Pacific Northwest is no different from that of the national chapter’s mission to find the causes of and a cure for lupus as well as providing support, services and hope to all people affected by lupus. On March 3, over 1300 people let their voices be heard during LFA’s Advocacy Day through Twitter, Blogs, Facebook and physical presence. We asked our congressional leaders for increased funding for lupus medical research at: the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We also called for a Surgeon General’s Report on gaps in lupus research and education. The report would identify gaps in lupus research and education, and it will make recommendations related to:
Federal funding for lupus research
Professional and public lupus awareness and educational programs
Approaches to improve the quality of life for individuals with lupus
Access to quality health care for individuals with lupus
We received overwhelming support from our congressional leaders for the LFA’s mission and now we must keep the momentum going. I will be participating in all of the Pacific Northwest “Walk for Lupus Now” ™ walks. Will you please join me? If you want to help raise awareness, participate in one of our many fundraisers or join the Board.
The walks scheduled here in the Pacific NW for 2009 are:
Portland: Saturday, September 19, 2009 Willamette Park
Spokane: Saturday, September 26, 2009 West Central Community Center
Olympia: Saturday, October 3, 2009 Sylvester Park
Seattle: Saturday, October 17, 2009 Magnuson Park at Sandpoint Way
Please contact me personally at tonitaw@lupuspnw.org or contact the chapter office at 1-877-774-2992. I am hoping I see you at a walk near you.
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Tonita brings a great deal of energy, talent and commitment to our Pacific Northwest offering us rejuvinated enthusiasm in building lupus awareness. She represents a group of people who have stepped up to the plate to create stronger connections with local and national resources in research and educational programs. Join her and the rest of the PNW Chapter in making important strides here in 2009. You can also follow her on Twitter as @LFAPNW
