Friends of Doernbecher
Friends of Doernbecher is a volunteer organization dedicated to long-term support for the hospital. Friends chapters include volunteers from across Oregon and southwest Washington.
These chapters hold fundraising events in their communities to raise awareness and funds for Doernbecher Children's Hospital. Currently, there are seven active chapters:
Austin's Chapter · Claudia Swanson · Douglas County Chapter · Dru's Chapter · Felicity Chapter · Oswego Friends · Women for Children
Friends of Doernbecher has two programs organized by volunteer committees. The Holiday Cards for Kids program sells holiday cards September through December. Designs are chosen each year from art submitted by current and former Doernbecher patients, patients' families and professional artists. Cards are sold in local stores and via mail order. Generous donations of services and resources ensure that 100 percent of holiday card sales support families, programs and research at Doernbecher.
The second Friends of Doernbecher annual fundraiser is the Heart of Doernbecher Auction. The Heart of Doernbecher was created in 1997 with the idea of doing an auction unlike any other in the Portland area. That vision has remained the mission of the Heart of Doernbecher. Each auction is an intimate and elegant affair with exciting and creative silent and live auction items. The auction is made even more special by the performances of local and unique talents. Audiences have been amazed, serenaded, amused and inspired by performers such as the Northwest Afrikan American Ballet, Lily Wilde and Her Jumpin' Jubilee Orchestra, Tracey Harris, ComedySportz, Portland Center Stage, Franklin High School drama students and former Doernbecher patients. The auction is a fun and meaningful way to bring the community together to help Doernbecher Children's Hospital.
For more Friends of Doernbecher information, please contact Megan Bulger at 503-220-8341 or bulgerm@ohsu.edu.
Friends of Doernbecher awarded grants to Doernbecher faculty in 2008:
A New Approach to Screening for Smith Lemli-Optiz Syndrome and Cerebrotendinous Xanthomatosis
Awarded to: Andrea DeBarber
Amount Awarded: $33,887
State newborn screening (NBS) programs save thousands of children as well as prevent serious morbidity, such as mental retardation through the early detection of genetic disorders. Currently NBS is not offered for the disorders of sterol and bile acid metabolism, Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS) and cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (CTX). The aim of this project is to develop novel tandem mass spectrometry MS/MS technology that enables sterol detection and is suitable for adoption into the NBS environment as a multiplex test for SLOS and CTX. Early detection of these disorders will enable intervention to benefit affected newborns and their families, as well as result in overall reduction of the health care costs normally associated with these disorders.
Doernbecher Center for Telemedecine
Awarded to: Miles S. Ellenby, M.D.
Amount Awarded: $25,650 plus $3,848 indirects
Telemedicine (TM) uses advances in telecommunication technologies for medical diagnostic, monitoring, and therapeutic purposes where distance or time separates the patient and health care provider. TM improves access to high-level subspecialty care for those in communities located at a distance from major medical centers. TM consults can occur both in acute situations (emergency room or ICU) and outpatient settings. When used effectively, TM has the capacity to provide a dramatic decrease in both emotional and financial stress to the families who can remain close to home. Friends of Doernbecher funding will support a stakeholder assessment of perceptions and interest in TM, market analysis of both inpatient and outpatient TM opportunity, and technical assessment of network & equipment needs. This work will inform both research and implementation objectives as we develop a strategic plan for a Doernbecher based TM enterprise.
Trojan Horse Delivery of Cancer Suicide Genes as a Novel Approach to Treat Resistant and Relapsed Pediatric Cancer
Awarded to: Amy Skinner, Ph.D.
Amount Awarded: $10,100 plus $1,515 indirects
Cure rates for pediatric cancer have dramatically improved over the past few decades, highlighting the burden placed on those who experience relapse following treatment. One promising strategy to overcome resistant cancer is to deliver a ‘suicide’ message to cancer cells. However, efficiently delivering the ‘suicide’ message to cancer cells poses a significant obstacle. In previous studies conducted in the laboratory of Dr. Peter Kurre at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, we identified a novel way to transfer genes into cancer cells, in a manner analogous to a ‘Trojan horse’ delivery. This strategy of gene delivery uses the patient’s own cells to encapsulate and protect a non-infectious viral ‘messenger’ from attack by the host immune system during passage through the bloodstream and allows its subsequent transfer to target (cancer) tissues. Dr. Skinner will study cell uptake and transfer of non-infectious virus from a ‘Trojan horse’ cell to a cancer cell utilizing a state-of-the-art live cell microscopy core at OHSU. Results of these studies are crucial to generate preliminary data for a more comprehensive future proposal and will allow us to develop this novel ‘Trojan horse’ therapeutic approach to treat resistant forms of pediatric cancer.
2009-2010 Grant information is now available! Please see the links to the right. Contact Megan Bulger at bulgerm@ohsu.edu or call 503 220-8341 or 800 800-9583 with any questions.
