Vascular Birthmarks Foundation

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Vascular Birthmarks Foundation

• An international charitable organization that
  provides
• support and informational resources for
  individuals affected by hemangiomas, port wine
  stains, and other vascular birthmarks and tumors,
  sponsors relevant research and promotes physician
  education.

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Founded in 1994 by Linda Rozell-Shannon

• VBF was founded by Linda Rozell-Shannon in 1994
  after her daughter Christine was diagnosed with a
  hemangioma and she found that there was no
  foundation, no website, no book and very few
  resources
• Linda searched for a surgeon to remove
  Christines hemangioma and found Dr. Waner.
  Together they formed VBF and wrote the first book
  on the subject Birthmarks A Guide to
  Hemangiomas and Vascular Malformations

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October 1995 - First clinic established at Albany
Medical Center

• Linda meets Dr. Martin Mihm at Albany Medical
  Center. Dr. Mihm joins the board of VBF.
• Linda works with Dr. Mihm to establish the first
  multi-disciplinary treatment center for vascular
  birthmarks at Albany Medical Center.
• Linda introduces Dr. Waner to Dr. Mihm and
  research on Vascular Birthmarks begins.
• Dr. Mihm meets Dr. North in Arkansas, where Dr.
  Waner was from, and research becomes published.

4
1996-Board of Directors Established

• Linda adds more doctors and parents of children
  with birthmarks to board
• Name is officially changed from Hemangioma and
  Vascular Birthmarks Foundation to VBF.
• 501 C 3 papers are filed, making VBF official.
• VBF networks an average of 50 individuals a
  month.
• Over 40 letters are received weekly in the mail
  and over 25 phone calls per week are answered.
• Numerous newspapers stories and television news
  features are done on VBF which launches VBF
  nationwide.

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August 1996 www.birthmark.org founded

• Linda takes off the summer and works with a
  friend to create the VBF website.
• Linda begins work with Mike Steffano of the PWS
  group which later becomes Birthmarks.com.
• VBF receives it first donations as a charitable
  organization.
• VBF receives hundreds of emails its first week,
  mainly from physicians seeking information.
• VBF publishes a chart for physicians to assist
  them in how to diagnose a vascular birthmark.

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Progression of Hope

• 1997

• 2005

From a One Person Parent Support Group to an
International Network of Families and Physicians
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1997

• VBF receives its official legal status as a not
  for profit
• Formed Board of Directors
• Established Second Treatment Center in Buffalo,
  New York
• Networked over 1,000 Patients into Treatment
• Linda attends and speaks at Hemangioma Hope
  Conference for families with birthmarks

8
1998

• Solidified Operational Logistics
• Issued Foundation Bylaws
• Opened Foundation Office in Latham, NY
• Established Third Treatment Center in Charleston,
  SC
• Networked over 1,000 Patients into Treatment,
  bringing VBF to over 3,000 patients networked

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1999

• Positioning for Expanded Impact
• Established Scientific Advisory Board
• Held First Fundraising Gala
• Networked over 1,000 Patients into Treatment
  bringing new total to over 4,500 patients
• Linda speaks at national conferences
• Linda is first non-doctor invited to write a
  chapter in a medical textbook on vascular
  birthmarks.
• Pro baseball player Frank Catalanotto and wife
  Barbara establish relationship with VBF

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2000

• Staffed for Exponential Positive Impact
• Sponsored Conference in Charleston SC
• Addressed American Academy of Dermatology
• Established Executive Director Med. Advisory
  Board
• Distributed First Newsletter
• Established Fifth Treatment Center
• Networked over 1,000 Patients into Treatment,
  totaling over 6,500 patients
• Awarded Best Pick Website by Yahoo

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2001

• Accelerating the Pace
• Featured on Discovery Channel Health Segment
• Initiated Annual Polo Fund Raising Event
• Distributed Medical Text to 500 Med Schools
• Added Family Physician Resource Lists
• Established Sixth Treatment Center
• Networked over a total of 8,000 cumulative
• _ Created Ask the Doctor Website Feature

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2002

• Fulfilling Our Mission
• Funded Research and Physician Education Grant
• Catalanottos Become VBF Honorary Chairpersons
• Cemented Annual Polo Fund Raising Event
• Developed Professional Marketing Collateral
• Addressed three Major Conferences
• Established Seventh through Ninth Treatment
  Center
• Networked over 10,000 Cumulative Patients into
  Treatment

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ResultsThe First 7 Years

• Networked over ten thousand patients into
  treatment
• Distributed Medical Text Books to US and Canadian
  Medical Schools
• Established Nine Worldwide Treatment Centers
• Facilitated Medical Research
• Featured on Discovery Health Channel
• Presented to The American Academy of Dermatology
• Co-authors First Guide Book for Parents on
  Hemangiomas and Vascular Birthmarks.
• Established Physician Education Program
• Orchestrated Four Family/Physician Medical
  Conferences

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2003 - VBF

• VBF adds new chapters including Sturge Weber
  Syndrome Community Group
• VBF Partners with Klippel Trenaunay Foundation
• VBF adds Canadian Connection
• VBF establishes Chapter in Israel
• VBF assists in establishing 2 new treatment
  centers in the United States
• VBF conducts second international Port Wine Stain
  Conference in NYC
• VBF networks over 14,000 into treatment

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2004 VBF

• VBF networks over 17,000 individuals into medical
  treatment worldwide
• VBF establishes Orphans With Birthmarks
• VBF establishes Artists With Birthmarks
• VBF establishes First National Day of Awareness
• VBF Bolingers Hold 1st Annual Angel Kiss Gala
  in Texas
• VBF receives congressional resolution proclaiming
  May 15th as our Day of Awareness
• VBF has numerous PR campaign and fund raising
  campaigns nationwide
• VBF is recognized as leading not for profit for
  children and adults with birthmarks in the world

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2005 VBF

• VBF adds VBF Europe as our European Chapter
• VBF establishes Babies With Birthmarks Guidelines
• VBF establishes Ask the Expert network
• VBF President and Founder receives Jefferson
  Award
• VBF celebrates 2nd Annual Day of Awareness and
  expands to International Day of Awareness
• VBF establishes VBF Kids Who Care Program
• VBF networks over 20,000 into treatment worldwide
• VBF is cited in national television programs
• VBF President begins PhD in Education to focus on
  vascular birthmarks education
• VBF receives one million dollars for research
• VBF Bolingers Hold 2nd Annual Angel Kiss Gala
  in Texas
• VBF President joins AAPO Vascular Anomalies Task
  Force

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2006 - VBF

• Networking over 1500 annually into treatment
• VBF Experts grow to 25 leading world experts
• VBF funds major hemangioma research
• VBF Bolingers Hold 3rd Annual Angel Kiss Gala
  in Texas
• VBF gets 1.5 million hits each month

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2006 VBF (contd)

• VBF expands to New Zealand, Australia, Asia and
  India
• VBF adds SWSC in Canada and establishes VBF
  Canada chapter
• VBF partners with Buddy Booby Birthmark Book and
  makes Buddy official mascot
• VBF holds first latin dancing fund raiser with
  great success
• VBF funds 4 major research projects
• VBF holds first All Vascular Birthmarks
  Conference in Boston
• VBF partners with Wandas World, a tween musical
  about a girl with a birthmark to be presented at
  2006 conference
• VBF 2006 Day of Awareness goes worldwide
• VBF adds multi-lingual Ask the Expert and other
  experts
• VBF President and Founder meets First Lady Laura
  Bush

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2007 - VBF

• VBF totals over 25,000 networked into treatment
• VBF Asia established
• VBF conference held in Irvine, California
• SWSC extends branch to Canada
• VBF President conducts dissertation on
  hemangiomas and has worldwide participation via
  VBF worldwide websites
• VBF Bolingers hold 4th Annual Angel Kiss Gala
  in Texas
• VBF receives 1.8 million hits each month on
  worldwide websites

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2008 - VBF

• VBF President and Founder receives VOICES 20,000
  award on Montel Williams show
• VBF President graduates with PhD in Education
  dissertation on hemangiomas
• VBF holds first gala in NYC
• Conference and clinic held in NYC
• VBF receives over 2 million hits monthly
  worldwide
• VBF hires PR firm and has national coverage
• VBF featured in NY Times
• VBF Bolingers Hold 5th Annual Angel Kiss Gala
  in Texas
• VBF chapter in Poland established

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2009 The Economy

• Despite economy, VBF adds new chapters and
  increases volume of families served
• VBF holds annual conference in California
• VBF funds Physician Education grant
• VBF establishes first Walk/Run for Birthmarks
  raising over 11,000
• VBF Bolingers hold 6th Annual Angel Kiss Gala
  in Texas
• VBF partners with Charity Buzz to raise awareness
  and increase fund raising
• VBF continues to receive 2 million hits each
  month
• VBF networks over 400 each month into medical
  referrals

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2010 The Economy Part 2

• VBF adds new program LIVE CHAT but has to
  discontinue it due to lack of funds
• VBF adds VBF Peru Chapter
• VBF holds 2nd Annual Walk/Run
• VBF holds first LA X ART event in California
• VBF Bolingers - hold 7th Annual Angel Kiss gala
  in Texas
• VBF holds 2nd Mark of Beauty Gala in NYC
• VBF President/Founder, Dr. Linda wins MORE
  Magazine Reinvent contest
• VBF Charity Buzz continues to raise significant
  funds for VBF
• VBF invited to do conference in CHINA !

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2011 New Program Brings Hope

• VBF Establishes the iTEAM. An international team
  of surgeons and treatment specialists who
  volunteer to travel to Russia, India, Asia and
  Africa to perform free surgeries and to train
  physicians in those countries to perform future
  treatments.
• One iTEAM trip will conducted every 9 month
  (based on funding)
• VBF Russia is launched resulting in VBF chapters
  on every continent

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More 2011 Good News for VBF

• VBF hosts 3rd Annual Walk/Run for Birthmarks in
  Albany, NY
• Frank Catalanotto Foundation hosts Golf Outing to
  benefit VBF
• VBF Texas Event makes front page on Texas
  newspapers
• Legacy 5K Road Race held in Boston to benefit
  VBF

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Providing Hope

• If not for this foundation, we would still be
  sitting and waiting in fear that today could be
  the last for Christian, now we have hope.
• Sandy (Christians Grandma)

• Before finding the VBF and its resources for
  finding proper care, we were at a loss. VBF gave
  us the contacts that no one else seemed to know
  about or understand.
• Kate S. (Julias Mom)

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2011 and Beyond

• Realizing the Vision.
• Bringing the iTEAM to underserved countries
• Babies With Birthmarks Guidelines established by
  major medical academies
• Conference/Gala in NYC
• Increased Awareness Accessibility to Options
• Discover Cause of Birthmarks through Research
• Legislation passed to require insurance companies
  to cover treatment of all children with
  birthmarks.
• No Child Will Remain Untreated!

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Together we can make a difference!