Raffle: Win An iTunes Gift Certificate, iPod Shuffle or 8 GB iPod Nano

Fundraising Raffle:

Win an iTunes Gift Certificate, iPod Shuffle, or iPod Nano based on your contribution amount.

Upon drawing your name,

For contributions of $1.00 to $10.00, you will be eligible to win an $15.00 iTunes Gift Certificate.

For contributions of $10.01 to $25.00, you will be eligible o win an $30.00 iTunes Gift Certificate.

For contributions of $25.01 to $50.00, you will be eligible to win an iPod Shuffle.

For contributions of $50.01 to up, you will be eligible to win an iPod Nano.

The raffle ends December 1, 2009.

Please indicate if you would like to be entered into the raffle and if so, please make sure that your email address is up to date as we will contact winners via email.

$1 a Day Keeps Herpes Away!!

Contributing to HSV research is an important step to help stop the spread of the disease within our society and to end the lifelong stigma of those who are directly affected.

Just $1 a day or $30 per month will help fund cutting edge research such as the one being performed right now at the University of Florida lead by Dr. David Bloom. In order to continue his research, he and his staff will need about $250K to complete the pre-clinicals, which can then progress towards human clinical trials.

When you contribute, you can use your contribution as a tax deduction. All that you need to do is click on the Donate button to the upper right of your screen and before completing your transaction, indicate whether you want your contribution tax deductible.

Tax deductions can help you reduce your gross income and may get you nice tax return.

Contribute today!!

Letter Writing Campaign To Oprah Winfrey

Join in the letter writing campaign to Oprah Winfrey.

Herpes carriers around the world are writing letters to Oprah Winfrey to ask for a show dedicated

The website, HerpesIsNormal, has written an article about the letter writing campaign. Herpes is the silent epidemic. And herpes is the forgotten virus that needs attention by the public and needs a voice to lead the mission to find a cure or viable vaccine.

Visit HerpesIsNormal. A copy of a pre-designed letter is available to you. The letter contains all of the information that you need to communicate the facts about this disease.

Support the campaign!! We need your help!!

New Fundraising Event

We have started another fundraising event. Our milestone to raise $2000 was reached at the end of February. The University of Florida is in the process of setting up a site for donations at the university and also a website that contains up to date information about Dr. Bloom's Ribozyme HSV study.

The University of Fl needs $300,000 to get through the preclinicals for the HSV2 study and $100,000 to get through the preclinicals for the HSV1 study.

I will post more later....

Thank you for your support.

We Are Closing In On Our Milestone

We have $243 to raise to reach our milestone of raising $2000.

The University of Florida HSV Research Team is receiving the media attention that it deserves.

As posted by a member at herpes-coldsores.com.....

Press coverage of the University of Florida's method for tackling herpes, so far in the last 24 hours:

Marketwatch

UPI

Palm Beach Post


SmartBrief

Innovations Report


All the sources seem to have fed off each other, but it's interesting that there's a new surge of coverage.

We Are Steadily Approaching Our Goal!

We have raised over $1200.....

Thank you to everyone who is supporting this event!  Please help keep the momentum for this event.  Spread the word about this fundraising event.  Most importantly spread the word about the video that discusses the different kinds of HSV research ongoing today.  It is important to actively support the scientific community.

HSV has been around for many, many years.  The public health system has been negligent in preventing the spread of HSV.  HSV is not life-threatening.  However, it has reached epidemic proportions and the numbers will continue to rise.  Doctors do not include HSV testing in your standard STD exams.  Unless they see a lesion, you will not be tested for HSV.  The public is not aware of asymptomatic shedding and without symptoms the virus continues to spread - silently.  So, if you think that you are being responsible by asking your doctor to test for everything - think again.  Ask for specific tests and tell your doctor to show you the written results.  The public health system and doctors have a responsibility to help you be responsible.......

We Are Approaching the Half-Way Mark!

To date we have raised $922.

We have not been diligent at updating the blog.  Updates have been posted at herpes-coldsores.com. We will try to update the blog regularly.  

Since our grassroots fundraising event started (Christmas Day 2008), we have raised over $900!  In less than one month we have raised close to half of our goal of $2000.  Yes, I am aware that $2000 is not enough money to find a vaccine or cure for HSV.  However, this is just a small part of the major goal.  The University of Florida requires an initial donation of $2000 to establish an online donation system for the HSV researchers.  Once established then Dr. Bloom will be able to receive donations online at the University.  But in order for Dr. Bloom to start receiving to donations, we need to do our part, which is to raise the minimum requirement that will help establish Dr. Bloom's research fund for online contributions.

The U of Fl HSV research lead by Dr. David Bloom has developed a novel method of preventing recurrence of HSV.  To learn about the Novel Method for Preventing Recurrence of Herpes Simplex Virus at U of Fl....... (first entry to the thread on the message board). Also, from a much more scientific perspective, read about U of Fl, Hammerhead Ribozymes (1) and (2).

Also, the following is an excerpt taken from the thread (link above) at herpes-coldsores.com regarding the status of Dr. Bloom's research.

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The ribozymes created for HSV1 is ready for clinical trials. When research is at this stage, it is waiting for someone to purchase rights to use it for clinicals. Unless venture capitalists or big pharma purchases the rights, it can sit for years.

The ribozyme study for HSV2 is in pre-clinical study. David Bloom needs funding for this study. There is currently no funding for it. To complete the study it will take $200,000. The good news is that once they complete the study and it is ready for clinical trials, venture capitalists are waiting to purchase the rights to take it to clinical. The venture capitalists are more interested in purchasing the rights for this study because they feel it is more marketable and there will be more interest from the public.

David Bloom is developing a website that will link to his homepage. The website will contain information about both the HSV1 Ribozyme study and HSV2 Ribozyme study. The website will contain a link to allow the people to contribute to the research. He will provide updates on the project and the amount of money raised.

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