--about raising awareness of neuropathy, and about the problems we've had doing that, especially as compared to the awareness that's been raised about MS, and Parkinson's.

Having a famous spokesperson/sufferer does help (MS has many--Montel Williams, Terri Garr, etc., and Parkinson's has Michael J. Fox) tp focus attention and research donations. And, more people suffer from neuropathy than MS and Prakinson's combined. But, since neuropathy is often considered secondary to some other primary condition, such as diabetes, the famous who've suffered from it don't seem to look upon it as worthy of much focus (and there are a number of famous neuropathy sufferers beyond Mother Dolores Hart--Andy Griffith, Mary Tyler Moore, Bobby Short, Johnny Cash--but again, most of them have it secondary to something such as diabetes; Mary Tyler Moore has been very active with that condition, for example).

We all have to do what we can--these boards are a start. A number of us have been interviewed for articles in Neurology Now and other places. I've been quoted a number of times. But a great leap in awareness might take someone of the order of Brad Pitt suffering from it (not that I wish it on him or anyone).