Keeping In Touch

It’s been less than a year since MDA lost its longtime chief executive, Robert Ross. Bob left an extremely well-organized, successful ship that will forge ahead in its course because of his rich legacy, which includes our Labor Day Telethon, our summer camp program, our ALS Division, our worldwide research program, and our extensive services and information efforts.

Among Bob’s many other successes was the creation in 1992 of the MDA Art Collection, the National Task Force on Public Awareness and the Personal Achievement Award program. Like most of Bob’s innovations, these programs are still healthy and thriving. You’ll read more about their accomplishments in “MDA Matters” on page 10.

These three of Bob’s long list of contributions have helped to educate the public about people who live with neuromuscular diseases. And in that way they contribute to our lifesaving efforts, because public awareness is essential to the fund-raising endeavors that enable us to carry out our three-pronged mission of research, services and education to benefit you — the people we serve.

The Art Collection and the Achievement Awards (the latter presented at local, state and national levels) honor some of the countless personal and professional accomplishments of those served by MDA — primarily adults, although the Art Collection also features works by some talented children. The National Task Force, backed up by local and state task forces on public awareness, gives MDA an authentic voice, expressed by people who know firsthand about living with neuromuscular disease, on important disability issues and national policies that affect their lives.

The three programs, observing their 15th anniversary this year, allow MDA to benefit from your creativity, talent, leadership, community involvement, and personal and professional achievements. This not only strengthens the sense of family that has long been a hallmark of MDA. It also highlights our presence in the disability community, while giving many of its richly deserving members a platform for recognition and contribution.

Bob Ross was extremely proud of these programs, as am I.

By the time you’re reading this magazine, MDA will have taken an important step to acknowledge and honor the 50-plus years of Bob’s leadership. In late February, we’ll rename our national office in Tucson the Robert Ross MDA National Headquarters.

Bob was a dear friend to me, and I still miss him deeply. But thanks to his enormous legacy, which has made MDA into a powerful source of help and hope, we feel his presence, and his greatness, every day.

Gerald C. Weinberg President & CEO

QUEST

The Magazine of the Muscular Dystrophy Association

MDA was founded in 1950 by adults with neuromuscular diseases and parents of children with these disorders. It’s a voluntary health agency working to defeat neuromuscular diseases through worldwide research, comprehensive services, and professional and public health education.

NatioNal ChairmaN

Jerry Lewis

PresideNt & Ceo ChairmaN of the Board ChairmaN, exeCutive Committee seCretary treasurer

Gerald C. Weinberg

Lois R. West

Robert M. Bennett

Timmi Masters

Suzanne Lowden

editor art direCtor

mediCal aNd sCieNCe editor seNior editor advertisiNg sales maNager desigNers

Carol Sowell

David Saint John

Margaret Wahl

Christina Medvescek

Maureen Tuncer

Danika Kopec

Libby Rogers

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Muscular Dystrophy Association Inc., 3300 East Sunrise Drive, Tucson, AZ 85718-3299 ☎ (520) 529-2000, e-mail: publications@mdausa.org. Available on the Internet at www.mda. org. ISSN 1087-1578

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awards Quest was honored in the 2003 and 2004 Unity Awards in Media; the 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 Communicator Awards; 2005 Apex Awards for Publication Excellence; and the 2004 and 2005 National Health Information Awards.

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