National Fundraiser Focuses on Research Toward A Cure for Ringing in the Ears
Portland, Ore. - The American Tinnitus Association announced today a national fundraising effort to silence "ringing in the ears." The Jack Vernon Walk to Silence Tinnitus will be held on June 26, 2010 and all contributions will be restricted to funding tinnitus research. The Walk will honor one of the organization's co-founders, Jack A. Vernon, Ph.D. who is regarded as one of the foremost tinnitus researchers.
The Walk presents a unique opportunity for people around the United States and worldwide to participate in the event through a virtual walk. Individuals can start a team and invite their family and friends to join their team through a special walk Web page created especially for this event. "We would love to have all walk participants come to Portland to show their commitment to a tinnitus cure, however we realize that this is not possible for everyone," said Michael Malusevic, Executive Director for the American Tinnitus Association. He continued, "This is why the virtual walk is so important - we encourage all those interested in supporting a tinnitus cure to visit walk.ata.org beginning today to start a team or simply join Team ATA by making a contribution."
They physical walk will be held from 10 a.m. to noon and will begin and end in the Main Street Plaza located at the end of Main Street, next to the Eastbank Esplanade pedestrian and bicycle path between the Morrison and Hawthorne bridges.
"When we began this organization nearly 40 years ago, my hope was that it would become the leader in tinnitus research and treatment," said Jack A. Vernon, Ph.D. "With tinnitus being the number-one service connected disability of returning military personnel from Iraq and Afghanistan, the need to find a cure for tinnitus is heightened. I am honored and so pleased to see this kind of effort being put forth toward silencing ringing in the ears," he concluded.
Tinnitus, commonly referred to as "ringing in the ears" is the perception of sound where no external source is present. Most commonly caused by noise exposure, tinnitus impacts up to 50 million Americans and of those, 12 million suffer from intrusive, chronic tinnitus. Their quality of life is often ruthlessly reduced and activities they once enjoyed such as going to movies, eating out at restaurants and even holding a job become impossible for many.
ATA has created a special Web site at walk.ata.org that enables anyone with computer access to easily navigate the registration process and participate either physically or virtually in this event. Team Captains will also be able to create their own personal team page which will keep track of the team's fundraising progress. These personal pages also allow the team captain to share their tinnitus story along with a picture to represent their team.
Details on how to register and begin recruiting your team can be found at walk.ata.org.
WHAT: The Jack Vernon Walk to Silence Tinnitus
WHERE: Virtual Walk begins now at walk.ata.org
The Physical Walk will begin and end in the Main Street Plaza located at the end of Main Street, next to the Eastbank Esplanade pedestrian and bicycle path between the Morrison and Hawthorne bridges. The route is fully wheelchair accessible.
WHEN: The Virtual Walk begins now and is ongoing until the conclusion of the Physical Walk. The Physical Walk will take place on Saturday, June 26, 2010 from 10 a.m. to noon.
