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Transgenomic Acquires ScoliScore™ Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Prognostic Test from Axial Biotech

OMAHA, Neb. (August 28, 2012) - Transgenomic, Inc. (OTCBB: TBIO) announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the global rights to Axial Biotech’s ScoliScore™ Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) Prognostic Test for a total consideration of $4.4 million in cash. The acquisition provides Transgenomic with the ScoliScore™ assay technology and intellectual property, an established revenue and customer base and access to a market estimated at 400,000 patients in the United States.

 Read more…..     

Fourth Annual Sound for Scoliosis Event 

The annual “Sound for Scoliosis” National Scoliosis Foundation fundraiser will be officially held on July 26 through July 29, 2012.  Sound for Scoliosis is a multi-venue event featuring music from live bands and a silent auction. The venue schedule for Sound for Scoliosis 2012 is

Thursday, July 26 from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Irish Wolf Pub, corner of North Washington and Linden Street in Scranton, Pennsylvania

Friday, July 27 from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Heil’s Place, 1002 Wheeler Avenue in Scranton, Pennsylvania

Saturday, July 28 from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. at Genetti’s Manor, 1505 Main Street in Dickson City, Pennsylvania. The silent auction will be toward the end of the evening.

Sunday, July 29 from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Heil’s Place, 1002 Wheeler Avenue, Scranton, Pennsylvania. The fund raiser is in its fourth year and the event coordinators are expecting this to be a “breakout year” for the event. 

Sound for Scoliosis is endorsed by the National Scoliosis Foundation which receives all of the donations.  President of Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Scoliosis Foundation and Sound for Scoliosis founder Lucia Peregrim states, “This year’s event includes a four-stage experience on the Saturday show.  Tickets are$7.00 per day and a $15.00 VIP pass for all four days.  Headliners include “Skin n Bones”, “The Curse of Sorrow”, “True Becoming”, “Alamance”, “The Chosen 1’s”and “Six Guns Loaded”.  Great bands coming together for a great cause!”   Tickets for Sound for Scoliosis are available by contacting Sound for Scoliosis founder Lucia Peregrim through email at soundforscoliosis@gmail.com or telephone 570-558-9247

Stacy Lewis wins ShopRite LPGA Classic
TheSportsCampus.com

Stacy Lewis’ third career victory and second-consecutive stroke play win was particularly timely, as she can now celebrate her win in the first week of June which has been declared National Scoliosis Awareness Month. The National Scoliosis Foundation (NSF) secured the first official U.S. House of Representatives Proclamation from Pennsylvania in 2008 to designate the month in an effort to help create a positive public awareness, education, and advocacy campaign. Lewis has been open about her childhood struggles with the condition and is a spokesperson for the Scoliosis Research Society. 

Read more......

Save the Date! 

Please join the National Scoliosis Foundation and the Scoliosis Research Society on Monday, June 11th at the State House in Boston, MA from 1-3pm to celebrate June is National Scoliosis Awareness Month! On this occasion,  we will also recognize Frank Rand, MD from the New England Baptist Hospital. Dr. Rand, an SRS member, has been an NSF Medical Advisor for twenty five years, and has helped thousands of scoliosis patients.

A light lunch will be served, and a group picture will be taken on the Grand Staircase. We welcome you all to join us, and ask that you please RSVP to nsf@scoliosis.org by June 4th.

New PSA on YouTube!

Rebekah Maynard at the Art Institute of Dallas has produced a Public Service Announcement (PSA) for the National Scoliosis Foundation. We greatly appreciate such a well done professional PSA, and give a heartfelt shoutout, and thank you, to her and everyone involved. 

 Click here for new PSA .......

Best Wishes for a Happy & Healthy New Year in 2012!

First Scoliosis Patient with "Compassionate Use" Phenix Rod  

KPTV in Portland, OR reported that a five year old boy at Shriner’s Hospital was the first patient in North America to receive the Phenix Rod, which is a remotely expandable device.  According to the FDA, the “compassionate use” provision, which this rod is approved as, allows access to investigational devices for patients who do not meet the requirements for inclusion in a clinical investigation, but for whom the treating physician believes the device may provide a benefit in treating and/or diagnosing their disease or condition. This provision is typically approved for individual patients but may be approved to treat a small group.

To read the full story go to ……Newly approved device helps children with scoliosis

Vote for Scoliosis Bow Tie for World Series! Let’s go Viral!

We have a fabulous opportunity to vote as a community of scoliosis patients, providers, advocates and friends.  Please stand up and vote for the SRS Bow Tie and let the world become more aware of the spinal deformity that affects so many lives, and the power of the community living with, and caring for, this condition. The details are below. Just go to Facebook and record your vote for the SRS blue bow tie. If you are not on Facebook, then ask your kids or friends to vote for you!  Let’s make sure Ken Rosenthal proudly wears the SRS bow tie during the World Series.

Spread the word! The time to act is now!

Details:

Recently  Ken Rosenthal, a TV Sports Writer, wore a bow tie supporting the Scoliosis Research Society on Fox News. His daughter is a patient of Dr. Loyd Hey.  The link to the story is below.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/scoliosis-bow-tie-for-srs-represents-special-family-ties-for-ken-rosenthal-alcs-on-fox-100611

We now have the opportunity for the SRS bow tie to be worn during the World Series. The bow tie is up for vote on Facebook through the link below. Simply “like” the SRS tie (second to last row, dark blue with spines) as the tie with the most “likes” will be worn.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bow-Tie-Cause/155173341160220#!/media/set/?set=a.296609810349905.83287.155173341160220&type=1

Come Celebrate! June is National Scoliosis Awareness Month!

The National Scoliosis Foundation Cordially Invites You to Join Us on Monday, June 20^th at 2:00pm in the Grand Staircase on the 2^nd floor of the State House in Boston, MA With Our Hosts, State Representative Rhonda Nyman & Senator Thomas Kennedy.

This year we celebrate our 35^th Anniversary of service; the 30^th Anniversary of our MA Postural Screening in School Bill; and the 15^th Anniversary of our Cycling for the Cause cross country bicycle ride for research to find the cause, prevention and cure of spinal deformities.

On this occasion, we are pleased to honor Laura (Bunny) Gowen NSF Founder & President Emeritus & Congressman William R. Keating, U.S. Representative for the Massachusetts 10th Congressional District.

Mrs. Gowen’s dedicated and generous work with NSF is now memorialized in the Make A Difference Gallery of the new International Life Cast Museum in Boston http://www.ilcmuseum.org/online/gallery-make-a-difference.html

Congressman Keating sponsored our original school postural screening bill, and has been a long time friend and supporter of our mission.

Why do some people with spinal-cord stimulators collapse after passing through a metal detector?

FDA tests whether electronic gadgets interfere with medical devices
Scientists at the FDA's electromagnetic and wireless laboratory are using an anechoic chamber, which prevents the echo of electromagnetic waves, to test whether electronic gadgets and security technology can interfere with medical devices, including pacemakers and spinal-cord stimulators. Research at the laboratory has enabled the agency to develop safety guidelines and warn device makers, clinicians and patients if a certain device has the potential to cause harm or malfunction. Read more here……

Stacy Lewis adds another chapter to success story
The story of how she overcame scoliosis as a child to not only play golf but become one of the most decorated players in college before making it as a professional is well-documented. But last week, Lewis, who graduated from The Woodlands High School ... read more here

Actress Elizabeth Taylor dies at 79  - USA Today
The condition was compounded by other ailments including spinal fractures and the effects of scoliosis. On Oct. 6, 2009, Taylor — using her Dame Elizabeth Twitter feed told fans that she was having a "very new" procedure done to repair her "leaky valve ...read more
 

Happy New Year ! 

We are truly grateful for our volunteers and donors for your support during this past year. Best Wishes to everyone for a happy, healthy and properous 2011. 

Support NSF through the 2010 Combined Federal Campaign 

Are you a federal employee? If so and you participate in the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), the world’s largest annual workplace charity campaign, you can designate the National Scoliosis Foundation as a recipient of your generosity by listing Designation Code 11547 on your pledge sheet! 

The registration period for the CFC ends December 15th. Your donation will be tax deductible. CFC information and registration forms should be distributed to you by your supervisor or human resource representative. If you have not participated in the CFC before or simply would like to learn more  click here . If you have a family member or friend employed by the federal government, please share this information with them. 

If you are not a Federal employee you can make your donation directly online click here

Thank you in advance for your continued support to the National Scoliosis Foundation!

The 7th Annual Boston Bar Crawl for Scoliosis will take place in Boston on November 20, 2010.  This year promises to be the best one yet!  Having learned from previous crawls, it seems best to keep it by Fenway Park, start earlier, visit fewer bars, have bigger venues, donated food, and new this year... at the last bar we'll have live music from Austin TX! 

Please go HERE for further updates leading up to Nov 20^th, and to order your T shirts…you need to rush, not all sizes are available!

Maureen McCann, Channel 8 Meteorologist in Austin TX will be posting information on Facebook and Twitter. She will base the headcount on Facebook RSVPs too, so please make sure you respond! 

Crawl: This year's route is:

-3-5pm Cask N Flagon

-5pm Game On

-6pm Who's on First

-7pm Bleacher Bar

-8pm Landsdowne Pub

-9pm-on Baseball Tavern

Coozies: There is also a section to get a bar crawl beer coozie with a $5 donation. Since the mean temperature for Boston during November is 45F, what better way to keep your hand from getting cold?  Get yours while supplies last! You can add them to your order online.

 Donations: The first bar crawl in 2004 generated about $250 for the National Scoliosis Foundation.  In 2009 we contributed over $2,300 to Scoliosis and around $1,000 to the Ryan J. Burns scholarship fund.  Let's try to top those this year... I am setting a goal of $5,000 total!! Proceeds will be sent to both the NSF and the Ryan Burns Scholarship fund. 

 And please RSVP if you are coming, so that the bars will know how many to expect. Thank you all for making this event a success year after year.  

Sound for Scoliosis 2010

The second annual, “Sounds for Scoliosis” awareness and fundraising event will span a minimum of nine venues primarily located in the downtown section of Scranton, PA. All proceeds will go to the National Scoliosis Foundation.

The event will kick off at New Penny on November 5th. The celebration continues the following night (November 6th) at Andy Gavin’s, Hookah Lounge, The Irish Wolf Pub, Kildares, The Keys, Whiskey Dicks, and The Bog (live entertainment at all venues).

Last but not least the grand finale concert (featuring over eight local/original bands) will be held at 5pm on Sunday, November 7th, at the all age’s downtown venue, The Vintage Theater. In addition, there will be massages and children scoliosis screenings from noon to 5:00 pm. 

Tickets to ALL venues will be $10.00 via hopper pass. Upon presentment of your  hopper pass you will receive a SCOLI BAND while supplies still last.

For more information go HERE ,or if you are interested in the presale tickets, please contact Lucia Peregrim  

FDA clears Cymbalta to treat chronic musculoskeletal pain
Indications include osteoarthritis, chronic lower back pain

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Cymbalta (duloxetine hydrochloride) to treat chronic musculoskeletal pain, including discomfort from osteoarthritis and chronic lower back pain. Cymbalta was first used to treat major depressive disorder in 2004. 

“Up to three quarters of the population experience chronic pain at some time in their lives," said Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “This approval means that many of those people now have another treatment option.”

Since its initial approval, about 30 million patients in the United States have used Cymbalta. It was approved for the treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy in 2004; generalized anxiety disorder and maintenance treatment of major depression in 2007; and fibromyalgia in 2008.

More than 29,000 patients have used Cymbalta in clinical trials, and more than 600 patients were studied in the clinical trials involving osteoarthritis and chronic low back pain. The safety evaluation for Cymbalta included review of data from the clinical trials as well as post-marketing data from the previously approved patient populations.

The FDA assessed the efficacy of Cymbalta in chronic low back pain and osteoarthritis in four double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trials. At the end of the study period, patients taking Cymbalta had a significantly greater pain reduction compared with placebo.

more....

"Rock the Curve"

Thirteen year old Emily Warner from Salt Lake City, Utah developed and held the first "Rock the Curve" fundraiser for the National Scoliosis Foundation. Emily and her Mom did a great job to get local volunteers, sponsors and government officials to work with them to put on this momentous event. We truly thank Emily and her Mom for their dedication and hard work. This year, all proceeds to NSF for this event will be donated to the Shriners Hospital in Salt Lake City in gratitude for the service they provide to so many children living with scoliosis. Emily is an amazing teenager who wants to help other people. We welcome her to our elite Angel Brigade team, and we look forward to next year's "Rock the Curve" event.

Thank you for joining us for the State of the Art of Conservative Care for scoliosis at The 7th Annual Meeting of SOSORT ,  held in Montreal on May 20 - 22nd.

Topics covered were school screening, molecular biology, surface topography, radiology, basic science, biomechanics, physiotherapy, posture, quality of life, dynamic bracing, night time bracing, rigid bracing and adult scoliosis.

More than 75 abstracts were presented at this 2 ½ day conference for researchers, health care providers and patients. All abstracts have been published in the open access Scoliosis Journal at

Lawrence Lenke, MD, President-elect of the Scoliosis Research Society joined SOSORT President Tomasz Kotwicki, MD as a guest lecturer. There was also a consensus session presented by Dr Theodoros B. Grivas, and an educational session on Adult Scoliosis chaired by Dr Manuel Rigo. Final Program

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NSF & DePuy Spine Present Scoliosis Education Session

The National Scoliosis Foundation (NSF) is pleased to partner with DePuy Spine for a Scoliosis Education Session on Wednesday, May 12, 2010 to be held at the Depuy Institute in Raynham, MA.

June is officially recognized as National Scoliosis Awareness month, and this free community event is part of DePuy Spine’s ScoliWeek 2010, which aims to raise awareness and educate parents and nurses about Scoliosis diagnosis and treatment.

Featured speakers at next month’s event include Joe O’Brien, scoliosis patient and President & CEO of the National Scoliosis Foundation, who will discuss the mission of the NSF and resources available to families and patients; Dr. Pernendu Gupta, spinal surgeon from the University of Chicago, who will present the latest advances in Scoliosis diagnosis and treatment; and Barbara Basham, the mother of a child with Scoliosis, who will share her family’s experience with their daughter.

The Scoliosis Education Session is slated to be held at the Depuy Institute, 325 Paramount Drive in Raynham, MA. Welcoming and check-in will take place from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. and speakers will take the floor from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Those interested in attending should e-mail their name, address and phone number to DePuyScoliWeek@its.jnj.com by Monday, May 10th.

We ask you for a moment of silence wherever you may be in memory of Herbet W. Homer who was a victim of the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Herb was our friend, and a great fellow Board member at the National Scoliosis Foundation. He was also a brother Jaycee who lived out the motto that service to humanity is the best work in life. Although eight years has passed, the memory of his spirit, his pleasant demeanor and willingness to always lend a hand will never be forgotten.

Join us in Boston! 

Representative Robert Nyman & Senator Thomas Kennedy proclaim June is National Scoliosis Awareness Month! in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

On this special occasion we are pleased to honor 

John B. Emans, M.D.
Children’s Hospital, Boston

For the help and hope he has given to so many children and families in the scoliosis community 

Date: Friday, June 26, 2009
Time: 3pm - 5pm 

Location:

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
State House
Boston, MA 02133
Grand Staircase, 2nd Floor — Refreshments will be served

For further details;

Email us at awareness@scoliosis.org or call us at 781-341-6333.

Convicted Scoliosis Clinician Sentenced

Self proclaimed scoliosis expert Arthur Copes was sentenced yesterday in a Baton Rouge, LA court. Mr. Copes was convicted in 2008 for multiple counts of insurance fraud. Of the 9 counts, Judge Marabella ordered to counts 1, 3, & 4 (2 Not Guilty) that Copes be sentenced to 5yrs hard labor, 2 of which be suspended and that he be remanded to DOC for the remaining 3 yrs, and pay a $5,000.00 fine. As to counts 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 he serve 3 yrs hard labor suspended and that he be on active supervised probation to run concurrent with any parole time and that all counts run consecutively (15 yrs active supervised probation when he gets out). Mr. Copes was also ordered to pay full restitution to all victims to include Blue Cross and pay restitution for costs of prosecution, and ordered to pay $5,000 fine for each count. When Mr. Copes gets out of jail in about 3yrs there are special conditions of probation that he perform 500 hours of community service, pay $55 a month, not perform any medical services that are either performed by a doctor or chiropractor, and not use any misleading advertisement in the future.

Putting the Fun in Fundraising!

Make your way to Boston on Saturday, November 22nd and join NSF Spokesperson Maureen McCann and 200 of her closest friends for the 4th Annual Bar Crawl for Scoliosis. The first crawl was held in Boston in 2004 and had around 40 people in attendance. The proceeds from the t-shirt sales were sent to the National Scoliosis Foundation. It then turned into an annual event, growing in size each year.

Maureen is a meteorologist with News 8 in Austin who had scoliosis surgery at Children’s Hospital in Boston. For more details about Saturday’s event please visit 2008 BAR CRAWL FOR SCOLIOSIS

We look forward to seeing you on Saturday at Copperfields, or one of the other designated establishments, to raise our glass in appreciation for Maureen’s great work and to help a good cause.

Thank You to All of You who Helped Name the Future of Scoliosis Care!

The KMR survey is now closed. We are grateful to everyone who participated.