Autism Groups Support XMRV Research !

By Kent Heckenlively, Esq., Contributing Editor to Age of Autism, May 21, 2011:

Generation Rescue, Talk About Curing Autism, and the National Autism Association are teaming up to ask their members to vote for the Whittemore-Peterson Institutue for Neuro-Immune Diseases/University of Nevada-Reno in the Chase Community Giving Project, which ends on May 25.

In the first round, the Whittemore-Peterson Institute finished fifth in overall voting. This won them $25,000. The difference between fifth and first place was three thousand votes. In the second round the first place winner will receive $500,000.

Readers of this website know I've written many times about the work of the Whittemore-Peterson Institute and their work with XMRV retrovirus and autism. It's no secret I consider this to be one of the more promising areas of inquiry. Chronic fatigue syndrome/ME and autism share a number of immune system abnormalities.

However, the fact that Generation Rescue, Talk About Curing Autism, and the National Autism Association have agreed to help with this effort shows that this opinion is not held by me alone. I was also heartened to receive an e-mail the other day from Dr. Amy Yasko, letting me know she was also going to vote for the Whittemore-Peterson Institutue.

Let me tell you why I think that this vote is good for our community. We have long needed a world class facility dedicated to studying the problems of our children, staffed by scientists who are not afraid to ask challenging questions. I believe that describes the Whittemore-Peterson Institutue and the people who work in it. For those who believe this to be a worthwhile cause I strongly encourage people to get friends and relatives to vote as well. I have set a personal goal of gathering 100 votes from family and friends. I am currently at 10% of my goal.

After you vote for the Whittemore-Peterson Institute you will have four other votes to share among other charities you desire. Here is how you can vote.
STEP-BY-STEP Instructions:

1. From your Facebook page, go to Chase Giving Community:
http://www.facebook.com/ChaseCommunityGiving

2. "Like" the Chase Giving Community by clicking on the "Like" button.

3. Now search for Whittemore Peterson Institute for Neuro-Immune Disease.

4. Cast your vote by clicking the "Vote Now!" button.

5. Search other organizations for whom you want to vote, up to 5 per Facebook account.
Voting for round two is May 19 – May 25