Saturday, October 27, 2012

CMV Program and Abstracts

Download CMV 2012 Program, which begins on Monday in California:
http://www.mcaevents.org/t/files/6838_cmv_2012_final_program_website_10-22-12-it-it.pdf

Download Abstract Summary:
http://www.mcaevents.org/t/files/6842_abstract_book-faculty-it-it.pdf

My talk is on Monday, October 29, 9:00 a.m.
My PowerPoint: mon_900_saunders.ppt
Abstract:


Raising Congenital CMV Awareness
Lisa Saunders
Congenital CMV Foundation
Abstract: Writer Lisa Saunders will discuss her efforts to raise congenital CMV awareness among women of childbearing age. One is through her book about her daughter born severely disabled by CMV, and another is through social media and her blog, congenitalcmv.blogspot.com, which specializes in reaching the general public with news about diagnosis, treatment and vaccine development. This information is then shared on Twitter and Facebook. Saunders will explain how to submit your own posts or press releases for publishing on her blog by writing to her at saundersbooks@aol.com, and how you can become a blogger on the online newspaper Patch.com, owned by AOL. Another important way the CMV community can raise awareness is through writing "Letters to the Editor." Publications are eager to publish your comments if they relate to a certain article--and the public does read those letters. In addition, anyone can send a press release to the media. For example, if you are presenting a talk on congenital CMV or just had an article published, you can send area newspapers and broadcast media a press release--they may just have a reporter contact you for an interview. For additional tips about getting free publicity, Lisa’s free e-book, How to Promote Your Business (or yourself), is available at: www.smashwords.com/books/view/56623
 
Bio: Writer Lisa Saunders has been trying to raise congenital CMV awareness since the death of her 16-year-old daughter Elizabeth in 2006. Born severely disabled by congenital CMV, Elizabeth was unable to walk, talk, sit up, roll over or feed herself. Cortically blind, she was beginning to lose her hearing at the time 9

of her death during a seizure. Despite Elizabeth’s disabilities, she had a happy childhood growing up beside her big sister and a variety of pets, which Lisa recounted in her memoir, "Anything But a Dog: The perfect pet for a girl with congenital CMV," which Lisa uses as a tool to raise awareness. In addition to her book, Lisa raises awareness through her blog, http://congenitalcmv.blogspot.com/, where the scientific community is invited to reach the general public by submitting posts about diagnosis, treatment and vaccine development.

As the parent representative of the Congenital CMV Foundation, Lisa spoke about her daughter’s life with CMV at the 2008 Congenital CMV Conference held at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. She speaks to nursing students and other health-related organizations and was a featured speaker at a Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics webinar.

Lisa lives in Mystic, Connecticut, with her husband and beagle/basset hound. A graduate of Cornell University and the author of several books, she is a freelance publicist and was awarded the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations Gold Medallion. Her memoir about Elizabeth and the big, homeless dog that became her companion is available as an e-book on Amazon. If a soft cover is purchased directly from the publisher, a percent of the proceeds are donated to the National Congenital CMV Disease Registry and Research Program through the link: www.unlimitedpublishing.com/cmv
 

Photos of Elizabeth are available on Lisa’s website at www.authorlisasaunders.com. Lisa can be reached at saundersbooks@aol.com
 

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