SoACE 2018 Conference: Philanthropy Project

by Rachel Wages, SoACE Conference Marketing Liaison

In a few short weeks the 2018 SoACE Annual Conference will be in Atlanta. There will be lots of hugs, handshakes, and shrills of excitement from seeing friends again. Having everyone together is great time to talk about the future and direction of our industry, learn what challenges and opportunities lie ahead, and how we can continue the great work our companies and colleges are doing. We will also have an opportunity to focus our resources and attention on a calling that will require us to come together and stay together in order to impact change. This year’s philanthropy focus will be on curing Neurofibromatosis (NF), but let’s take a few steps back. What is NF?

NF is a genetic disorder that causes tumors to form on nerve tissue anywhere in the body. The tumors are usually benign, but can sometimes become cancerous. Symptoms can sometimes be mild for some, but complications of NF can include hearing loss, learning impairment, heart problems, loss of vision, and severe pain. Treatment tends to be in the form of cancer therapies including surgery and chemotherapy. Other traditional treatments like radiation therapy do not work and in fact may exacerbate tumor growth in NF patients.  In essence, there currently is NO effective treatment or cure. For a deeper understanding of NF, I want to tell you about Jack Burke.

Jack is the 13 year old son of Jake and Beth O’Brien Burke. Jack’s dad has been part of the career development field and a member of SoACE and NACE for 25 years. Jack has NF and is probably one of the strongest children you will ever come across. Jack and his family are dedicated to building awareness around NF with the goal of curing it.CureNFwithJack will be our philanthropy focus at SoACE. During the conference, Jack is going to let us know how we can help him find a cure. Assistance can come in the form of financial support, writing letters to legislators to support national research efforts, and telling someone else about NF. Please take time to watch this video before heading to Atlanta in December. When you arrive be ready to learn more about our field, be ready to see old friends and meet new ones, and to CureNFwithJack.