Please join me, my sister Talia and my parents Alyson and David on May 17th when we travel to Sacramento to walk and raise money for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation (ASF).  The ASF is an amazing organization which advocates on behalf of children like me who have Angelman Syndrome, provides critical funding for medical research to develop a cure for this disorder and creates educational resources for families, teachers and doctors.  

This past year was an extremely productive one for both the ASF and for me personally -- thanks in large part to support from so many of you.  For the ASF, the organization dedicated nearly $1 million in research funding to find a cure for AS and to more effectively treat the debilitating seizures that impact so many of us.  This comes on the heels of some very exciting research discoveries last year in which researchers were able to effectively cure AS symptoms in an AS mouse from infancy.  They still have a long way to go but this gives us all great hope that a cure for AS is not only possible but somewhere on the horizon.

For me, it was another year of milestones as I hit the ripe old age of five.  I continue to get better using my picture exchange communication system, really improved my walking and spoon and fork-handling skills and learned how to pedal my very cool three wheel bike -- now if I could only steer it life would be glorious (see picture).  I also said my first word -- "more" -- which has proven really useful when I'm hungry.  I'm now working on saying "Mom" and promise, Dad, that you're not too far behind.  I know that I'll continue to learn and make progress with the help of so many amazing friends, teachers, therapists and organizations including, most importantly, the ASF and the research and resources that it makes possible.

Please check out the cool video that my mom made about me ... http://video.yahoo.com/watch?fr=yvmtf&v=2463034

It would really mean a lot to me and my family to have your support even if you can't join us in Sacramento.  You can make a safe, secure donation on this website and your donation will even be tax deductible.  Maybe one day I'll be able to actually say "thank you" myself -- until then, you can be assured that I'll be saying it with a smile and a hug!

All my love, Noah (and Alyson, David and Talia).