Press Release 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dr. Lynn Pickus
lkelli@aol.com
Plainview, NY
516-932-1952

Fundraiser Increases Awareness of #1 Birth Defects Virus—
More Common Than Down Syndrome

Pregnant Women Unaware Toddler Saliva May Harm Fetus

Plainview, N.Y.—Parents and friends of disabled children will gather at Adventureland Amusement Park in Farmingdale to raise funds to prevent #1 viral cause of birth defects, congenital CMV (cytomegalovirus), on Saturday, June 5 at 1 p.m. Tickets: $16.50. Anything above the $16.50 is considered a tax deductible donation.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): www.cdc.gov/cmv/
Every hour, congenital CMV causes one child to become disabled
· Each year, about 30,000 children are born with congenital CMV infection
· About 1 in 750 children is born with or develops permanent disabilities due to CMV
· About 8,000 children each year suffer permanent disabilities caused by CMV
· Congenital CMV (meaning present at birth) is as common a cause of serious disability as Down syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, and neural tube defects

More than half of OB/GYNs surveyed by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) admitted they don't routinely caution their patients about CMV.

The awareness event is being hosted by STOP CMV and Dr. Lynn Pickus of Plainview, a psychologist and a representative of STOP CMV, an action network. Pickus is the mother of Noah, born in 2004. Noah has a moderate to severe hearing loss, cerebral palsy, a seizure disorder and developmental delays as a result of congenital CMV. As a STOP CMV rep, Pickus is actively involved in raising awareness. “There is no reason why anyone should not be aware of this virus and how to prevent it.” Prevention includes refraining from kissing toddlers around the mouth and consistent hand-washing when caring for them. See http://www.stopcmv.com/ .

Lisa Saunders, author of the memoir, “Anything But a Dog! The perfect pet for a girl with congenital CMV,” will be at the event autographing copies of her book and donating a percent to the Brendan B. McGinnis Congenital CMV Foundation. http://anythingbutadog.blogspot.com/
The Brendan B. McGinnis Congenital CMV Foundation is a non-profit foundation (501 c 3) dedicated to raising public awareness about congenital CMV, raising donations to support CMV vaccine research, and affecting change in the medical community so that physicians will test women for CMV prior to pregnancy. For further information about the Foundation, contact Tracy McGinnis, President/Founder, at mcginnis@cmvfoundation.org or visit: http://www.cmvfoundation.org/

For more information about the CMV Awareness event, how to donate above the ticket price to the Brendan B. McGinnis Congenital CMV Foundation, and what will happen in the event of rain, contact Dr. Lynn Pickus at lkelli@aol.com, 516-932-1952 or visit: http://cmvadventureland.blogspot.com/ Please buy or reserve tickets in advance. Participants should meet on the patio outside the Adventureland restaurant to pick up wristbands. A table within the park will provide more information on the Brendan B. McGinnis Congenital CMV Foundation and CMV. For information about the Adventureland: www.adventureland.us/themepark/
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