I would like to thank David & Cynthia K. (that's all the info I have on
these wonderful people) for being the first to contribute to the ADV
Research Fund set up by Dr. M.A. Stevenson.  Your check officially opened
the fund!!!  I have no idea who you are, if you're on the FML, or what
moved you to contribute, but THANK YOU!  Please e-mail me so I can thank
you personally.
 
I also have to thank Dr. Bruce Williams for including ADV in his
presentation at Ferrets 2000.  I really believe your presentation was
the beginning of a "wake up" for many, many people.
 
Thank you to Bob C. for his post on ADV.  I think it probably completed
the "wake up"!
 
Also thank you to Betty, Linda and all the others that brought up ADV on
this list.
 
I HAVE to thank Kat Parsons for the web page she is creating for my kids
and ADV, as well as Wolfy for the information she's putting together on
ADV.  I know I speak for Julie, too, when I say that seeing ADV finally
becoming an issue that people realize has to be addressed is extremely
gratifying.
 
PLEASE contribute something...as much or as little as you are able to.
Every dollar helps.  I understand that many of you (if not most) are on
already overly strained budgets.  I also understand that many of you are
terrified of this virus and feel it's easier just to "ignore" it.  "Hear no
ADV, see no ADV, speak no ADV", and maybe you'll never have to deal with
it.  Unfortunately, ADV doesn't work that way.  The more people that "hide
their heads in the sand" (as some people have told me they've been doing),
the greater number of ferrets that are going to become infected.  If you
don't test, don't quarantine infected ferrets, it just continues to spread.
Many people have told me that they're afraid to test at their shelter...
what if they have positive ferrets?  What could they do?  They can't
close...they're needed too much.  Unfortunately, I don't have answers for
those questions.  But, there's hope...
 
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.  The ONLY way we're going to get answers to the
questions we all have about ADV is RESEARCH.  We have to research this
virus and learn everything we can about it.  We have to "try" for a
vaccine.  Please give to one of the research funds.
 
I would also like to make sure you understand that I do not post to this
list begging for research funds because I want you to help my ferrets that
have AD.  There is no help for my ferrets.  There is no treatment and no
cure.  As Dr. Williams said in his presentation "Aleutian Disease is a
death sentence".  I post here and push for contributions to the ADV
research funds on behalf of YOUR ferrets, and all the ferrets that not
yet been born.  Please send something...whatever you can.  Thank you.
 
Judy
[Posted in FML issue 3188]