OMF Triple Tuesday starts: Fwd: Exciting News: $666K+ in matching gifts secured

[Ben H]

Hi guys,

It's that time of the year again-the first day of Triple Tuesday! Here is the information from OMF:

TRIPLE GIVING TUESDAY OMF LAUNCHES TODAY
Every donation today through December 3 will be tripled!

Dear Friends,

Today is the first day of our Triple Giving Tuesday fundraising campaign, and I’m excited to announce that we have secured matching gifts up to $666,666, through the generosity of several supporters.

Thanks to these individuals, when you donate to OMF any day of the week today through International Giving Tuesday, December 3, 2019, your donation will be triple matched.

Donate today to ensure we can take advantage of the entire matching gift amount.

The triple match applies until $333,333 is donated, which will allow us to meet our ambitious goal to raise $1 MILLION USD total during Triple Giving Tuesday to fund critical research for ME/CFS.

If you’d like to fundraise for OMF online, in-person or by mail, all donations to your fundraiser will be triple matched as well.

As I told our supporters after the recent Community Symposium at Stanford, I’ve never felt more hopeful and inspired by the progress researchers are making. With your help, we can provide great research minds the resources they need to find treatments and a cure for this devastating disease.

With hope for all,

Linda Tannenbaum
Founder & CEO/President

TRIPLE YOUR DONATION TODAY



www.omf.ngo/Triple-Tuesday-2019/


Thanks so much,


B

 

[panckage]

I donated to the corresponding Canadian campaign this week. I noticed that the fee transfers cost 5%. I was surprised. Aren't there cheaper options available?

 

[Ben H]

I donated to the corresponding Canadian campaign this week. I noticed that the fee transfers cost 5%. I was surprised. Aren't there cheaper options available?

Hi @panckage

Thank you so much. I don't know anything about the fee transfers-im in the UK-but I will definately ask about this and get back to you. It may be a standard rate exchange, I'm not sure.

I'll update you when I know,

Thanks,

B

 

[Possibly James May]

Just as a friendly reminder, if you want to donate to a specific cause/fund within the OMF, just add a donation restriction. All you need to do is create a note/letter stating that the funds you are donating are restricted to ______ fund or project. This ensures that 100 percent of your donation is designated to the research or expense of your choice.

 

[Ben H]

A spotlight on Ron Tompkins and Harvard:

#TripleTuesdayOMF Spotlight - Harvard Collaboration

Every donation today through December 3 will be tripled!

The OMF-funded Harvard ME/CFS Collaboration, led by Ronald G. Tompkins, MD, ScD, and Wenzhong Xiao, PhD, is a partnership of leading scientists, doctors, and researchers from Harvard-affiliated hospitals including Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and collaborators from Sweden and the United Kingdom who share a commitment to advancing research and developing effective therapies for this complex chronic disease.

Dr. Tompkins said, "I have had a 43 year career at MGH as a doctor and scientist with tremendous experience in inflammation and metabolism. I am now focusing on medical science to find insights and treatments for ME/CFS."

These initiatives stand to impact millions whose lives have been overturned by ME/CFS.

Your donation to Triple Giving Tuesday OMF support the critical advances in research.

The Collaboration seeks to conduct “basic science” research — with emphasis on uncovering the mechanisms behind the most debilitating symptoms of ME/CFS — as well as clinical studies to identify new forms of treatment.

Make a donation to Triple Giving Tuesday OMF today to accelerate research.

Donations made any day of the week today through International Giving Tuesday, December 3, 2019, are eligible to be TRIPLED. Triple your impact on research.

Learn more about the OMF-funded Harvard Collaboration.

TRIPLE YOUR DONATION TODAY



www.omf.ngo/triple-giving-tuesday-2019

 

[Hopeful1976]

Hi @Ben H
I've seen so much funding come to OMF, from pineapples 5million to the patient community donating. Can I ask where has all the money gone to? Which projects? I was so thrilled when pineapple came forward, and thought it would prompt some findings. Maybe that's my nativity. But honestly, if 5 million doesnt even scratch the surface, what hope is there? This all baffles me. Constantly asking for donations, but where is the hope to? Is there promise on the horizon? I'm afraid I need some regular feedback from scientists involved to know that my money is doing some good? Because honestly, I just see all this money and nothing from it. Sorry to sound so pessimistic, but I'm feeling a bit unsure now.

 

[Hopeful1976]

@Ben H can you possibly show me where to look to see where the millions have been directed? What projects? Thanks

 

[Rebeccare]

@Ben H can you possibly show me where to look to see where the millions have been directed? What projects? Thanks

The Open Medicine Foundation posts its financial statements on its website, so you can see how much money they take in, and where it goes to: https://www.omf.ngo/f-info/

You can also read their most recent annual report, which goes into more detail about what research is being supported, and more clearly illustrates how the organization spends its money: https://www.omf.ngo/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2018-OMF-Annual-Report-FINAL.pdf

You can read more about different research projects being funded here (just scroll down a little bit): https://www.omf.ngo/overview/ and here: https://www.omf.ngo/2018/06/04/omf-funded-research/

 

[Ben H]

Hi @Ben H
I've seen so much funding come to OMF, from pineapples 5million to the patient community donating. Can I ask where has all the money gone to? Which projects? I was so thrilled when pineapple came forward, and thought it would prompt some findings. Maybe that's my nativity. But honestly, if 5 million doesnt even scratch the surface, what hope is there? This all baffles me. Constantly asking for donations, but where is the hope to? Is there promise on the horizon? I'm afraid I need some regular feedback from scientists involved to know that my money is doing some good? Because honestly, I just see all this money and nothing from it. Sorry to sound so pessimistic, but I'm feeling a bit unsure now.

Hi @Hopeful1976 ,

I totally understand (as a severe patient myself) your questions. @RebeccaRe has done a really good job posting the above, thanks for doing that Rebecca.

Also if you haven't already and are able to I would suggest watching the latest Symposium sponsored by OMF which was held in September which gives insight into the plethora of projects ongoing:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLl4AfLZNZEQPiRL9zpis8LtfaHBEMy4jS

The Pine donation was truly incredible, and so are the Triple Tuesdays for raising money-there are now 3 collaborative research centres (Stanford, Harvard and Uppsala) which was only a dream a few years ago. It takes time to set the foundations and I get frustrated too with how long research and this takes, we have all been ill far too long. However what needs to happen overall is NIH step up and put some massive money in-equal to disease burden so we are talking tens and possibly hundreds of millions, especially if you count the neglect, which one should. However without your and other patients donations, we wouldn't be anywhere at all and certainly not in the position OMF are in now which is really incredible seeing as it is solely privately funded.


I hope that helps somewhat. I'm only a volunteer for OMF, you are always free to email OMF directly at:

info@omf.ngo


I hope that helps,


B

 

[Possibly James May]

You also have the 990 and Audited Financial Statements that give you a more detailed view of how the funds were gained and spent.

 

[Hopeful1976]

Hi @Hopeful1976 ,

I totally understand (as a severe patient myself) your questions. @RebeccaRe has done a really good job posting the above, thanks for doing that Rebecca.

Also if you haven't already and are able to I would suggest watching the latest Symposium sponsored by OMF which was held in September which gives insight into the plethora of projects ongoing:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLl4AfLZNZEQPiRL9zpis8LtfaHBEMy4jS

The Pine donation was truly incredible, and so are the Triple Tuesdays for raising money-there are now 3 collaborative research centres (Stanford, Harvard and Uppsala) which was only a dream a few years ago. It takes time to set the foundations and I get frustrated too with how long research and this takes, we have all been ill far too long. However what needs to happen overall is NIH step up and put some massive money in-equal to disease burden so we are talking tens and possibly hundreds of millions, especially if you count the neglect, which one should. However without your and other patients donations, we wouldn't be anywhere at all and certainly not in the position OMF are in now which is really incredible seeing as it is solely privately funded.


I hope that helps somewhat. I'm only a volunteer for OMF, you are always free to email OMF directly at:

info@omf.ngo


I hope that helps,


B

Thanks Ben.
Hearing how much is actually needed fills me with so much sadness - like I'm never going to be well as that kind of money will never be found.... why does everything have to come down to a mass of I owe you's, which moment essentially is. It saddens me a lot. Why is M.E so bloody difficult to figure out??