Donation to American Migraine Foundation for Migraine and Headache Research
In San Diego last month, it was my great pleasure to present a donation of $17,434 for Migraine and Headache research to Dr. David Dodick, Director of the American Migraine Foundation.
The donation came from two Runnin' for Research runs/walks held in Morgantown, West Virginia, and Louisville, Kentucky, last year. Runnin' for Research had placed the race profits with the American Headache and Migraine Association (AHMA) for disbursement.
Although the name is the American Migraine Foundation (AMF), the AMF does a great deal to help people with all Headache disorders, including implementing a program to assist in the development of headache clinics in academic medical centers and the American Registry for Migraine Research (ARMR). ARMR is a database containing information about patients diagnosed with migraine and other headache disorders—including their age, gender, headache type and characteristics, severity and frequency of attacks, treatment history, family history, and other medical information including physical samples (known as a biorepository) from each patient for genetic analysis. ARMR is a valuable tool to advance research to help scientists understand the causes of migraine and other headache disorders and move closer to finding safer, more effective treatments to eventually find a cure.
The mission of Runnin' for Research is "to improve the quality of life of those who suffer with headache and migraine disorders through fundraising for quality research and the promotion of patient empowerment, community awareness, and local and national advocacy."
The American Headache and Migraine Association is the patient arm of the American Headache Society. AHMA's mission is "to help those affected by Migraine and other Headache Disorders find and use our voices to empower patients, family members, friends, and care partners. Through education, support, advocacy, and research we will bring hope and banish the feelings of hopelessness that too often accompany these disorders. We will work to dispel myths and misconceptions, thereby working to eliminate the stigma we face all too often and replace it with compassion and understanding."
For more information on any of these organizations, see their web sites:
- American Headache and Migraine Association
- American Headache Society
- American Migraine Foundation
- Runnin for Research
Live well,
because a migraine is NOT "just a headache"