ME/CFS -First Award National CFIDS Foundation

[Guest guest]

Gail Kansky <GAILRONDA:

 

 

The National CFIDS Foundation will present it's first " Outstanding Researcher

Award " to Yoshitsugi Hokama, Ph.D., Professor of Pathology at the John A.

Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa.

 

From 2002 to 2007, Dr. Hokama received financial support, from the

Foundation's Research Grant Program, to research the role of chronic phase

lipids and

ciguatera toxin reactivity in patients with chronic fatigue immune dysfunction

syndrome (CFIDS), also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) by the World

Health Organization (WHO).

 

The award is being presented to Dr. Yoshitsugi Hokama by interim acting dean,

Dr. Gary Ostrander, on behalf of the National CFIDS Foundation in recognition

of his " significant scientific contributions, exemplary commitment and

dedication to the worldwide patient community. "

 

Since the announcement of his discovery at a medical conference in Japan, Dr.

Hokama had secured an international blood permit so that millions of patients

worldwide, who suffered with the disease, would have access to testing

offered by the medical school.

 

The test identified ciguatera toxin reactivity in the blood of over 95% of

all those afflicted with CFIDS/ME/CFS. By providing the necessary financial

support, the Foundation's grants enabled Dr. Hokama to receive additional

funding

for his research from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

 

 

May 12th is International Awareness Day for CFIDS/ME/CFS and is observed with

various activities around the world. The date was chosen to memorialize the

birth date of Florence Nightingale who inspired the founding of the

international Red Cross while bedridden and suffering from a neurological

condition

similar to CFIDS/ME.

 

The award presented to Dr. Hokama to honor his pioneering work is the

charity's first-ever award and was purposefully awarded at this time to coincide

with

Awareness Day. Like Florence Nightingale, Dr. Hokama has been the inspiration

for many due to his dedication and commitment to help others.

 

Gail Kansky

President, National CFIDS Foundation, Inc.

103 Aletha Rd.

Needham, MA 02492-3931

781-449-3535

http://www.NCF-NET.org