For Immediate Release

Contact: info@stopsarcoidosis.org

THE FOUNDATION FOR SARCOIDOSIS RESEARCH ANNOUNCES 2008 RECOGNITION AWARDS
AT K.I.S.S. CHICAGO 2008

Chicago, IL (2 February 2008) On Saturday, February 2nd, the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR) launched the annual nationwide education and awareness campaign, Kick In to Stop Sarcoidosis® (K.I.S.S.) at KISS Chicago 2008. This event brought together more than 450 supporters, patients and well-known celebrity patients to raise more than $150,000 to support sarcoidosis research and to launch a week of nationwide activities designed to raise awareness of this devastating disease.

Sharing emcee responsibility were NBC-5 sports anchor Peggy Kusinski and NBC-5 morning news anchor Rob Elgas. In 2002, NBC's Chicago Affiliate WMAQ lost well-known sports anchor Darrian Chapman to undiagnosed cardiac sarcoidosis. They thanked the 2008 FSR honorees for committing countless hours and vast personal and professional resources towards raising awareness, raising funds and raising the bar for research in the hopes of preventing another tragedy like the one faced by the NBC family.

2008 Honorees:
Andrea Wilson: After years of misdiagnosis, Andrea Wilson learned she had sarcoidosis. As the disease weakened her physically, it strengthened her resolve to help others who suffer. She co-founded FSR in 2000 and has led FSR to become the nation's leading organization dedicated to improving care for sarcoidosis patients and to finding a cure for this disease.

Karen Duffy: Diagnosed with neurosarcoidosis in 1995, Karen Duffy became the first high-profile patient to truly put a face on this disease. Her New York Times best-selling book, Model Patient demonstrates that although sarcoidosis has changed her body, it has not affected her spirit.

Elliott Crouser, MD, KISS Investigator Award: Dr. Crouser is Director of the Sarcoidosis Specialty Clinic at the Ohio State University Medical Center. He has extensive experience in both basic and translational research and recently received a jointly sponsored FSR-ATS $100,000 award for a novel approach to treating this disease.

Larry Wert & NBC-5: Through their annual media support of the KISS Campaign, NBC-5 has made a significant impact on the lives of those with sarcoidosis both here in the Chicago area and throughout the country.

“KISS Chicago and the annual Kick In to Stop Sarcoidosis® campaign provide an opportunity to recognize those working to advance the Foundation's mission to improve the lives of those affected by sarcoidosis and to find a cure for this disease,” said Debbie Durrer, Executive Director of FSR.

Sarcoidosis (pronounced SAR-COY-DO-SIS) is an inflammatory disease that can affect almost any organ in the body.  It causes heightened immunity which means that a person's immune system, which normally protects the body from infection and disease, overreacts, resulting in damage to the body's own tissues. Sarcoidosis is often serious and can even be life-threatening, especially if you do not know you have it.  The cause remains unknown and there is no cure.

The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR) is the nation’s leading organization dedicated to improving care for patients and to finding a cure for this disease. Since 2000, FSR has worked to position sarcoidosis as a growing problem on the U.S. health care agenda and established itself as the authoritative resource for patients, health professionals and the public.

2008 Campaign Corporate Supporters include:  Sloan Valve Company, NBC-5 Chicago, Modern Luxury Magazines/Chicago Social, Grey Goose Vodka, Burrell Communications Group, Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal, @ World Properties, BET, and Marsh.

KISS Chicago 2008 Co-Chairs:  Linda Finkel, Carla Hahn & Dustin O'Regan.