Lincoln’s Legacy – Accelerating FOP Research Since 2009

Since his diagnosis in the spring of 2009, the Wheelock and Gambaiana families have joined forces with others from across the globe to enhance awareness and generate resources to accelerate an effective treatment and eventual cure for FOP in honor of Lincoln Wheelock.

This journey has filled our lives with the emotional rollercoaster of having a loved one with a rare, catastrophic condition and experiencing the disease progression and the resulting loss of mobility. We’ve also experienced the hope and optimism that comes from tremendous advances in FOP research, including multiple clinical trials, an explosion in the number of venues conducting research, and other progress that provides us hope for the future.

The extraordinary support received from family and friends over the past several years has touched our hearts in so many ways. This support consists of thoughts, well-wishes, encouragement, acts of kindness, prayers, and gifts of financial resources.

Now in our 15^th year of generating support through Lincoln’s Legacy fundraising events, our families remain deeply engaged in the process of raising support for FOP research. Since our first family event in the summer of 2009, our donations have been channeled to the IFOPA and the FOP Research Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania. We have generated more than $925,000 for FOP research! That figure represents net cash – we’ve been able to keep our fundraising costs to bare minimums due to additional generosity by many. This remarkable record of support is a testament to the depth of compassion and generosity of our supporters.

Because of your generosity, we are closer to finding a treatment for FOP and to giving Lincoln and other FOP kids the chance of a more independent future.

FOP research is made possible by the ongoing generous contributions of family and friends of patients.

Please consider making a generous gift by doing the following:

1. A check to IFOPA. Please send checks to:

   IFOPA
   PO Box 800084
   Kansas City, MO 64180

2. Contribute online. Go to ifopa.org/lincolns_legacy

All donations will go directly to the IFOPA to help fund research and are tax-deductible. The IFOPA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. If your company has a matching program, please contact Cathryn Roys, IFOPA Community Fundraising Manager, via +1 843-709-3244 or email.

For more information on FOP and Lincoln, please check out the IFOPA website, www.ifopa.org and Lincoln’s Facebook page (Lincoln’s Legacy - Cure for FOP).

Thank you for supporting this most worthwhile cause.

Trisha and Lee Wheelock