Contacts
Sandra Walter-Steinberg, AA&MDSIF
walter@aamds.org o/301.279.7202 x104 c/202.550.7692
Judi Wilkinson, BGB Motorsports
jwilkinson@teambgb.com
BGB Motorsports Inspired to Fast Track Awareness for Aplastic Anemia & MDS at Lime Rock Park Memorial Day Weekend
Lakeville, CT, May 22, 2008 – BGB Motorsports #83 PerformanceDrink.com Porsche 997 piloted by Craig Stanton will be raising awareness about little known, life-threatening bone marrow failure diseases this weekend as it sports the 25th Anniversary logo of the Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation (AA&MDSIF). The team’s involvement is personal – Judi Wilkinson, the team’s office manager, whose husband Garry and son Danny both work for BGB Motorsports, was diagnosed and treated for aplastic anemia five years ago. Hers is the story of a survivor turned driven advocate.
Knowing that thousands of people were watching the team’s #83 car win at Daytona earlier this year, Judi decided that if she could put the AA&MDSIF logo on the car it would mean thousands of people learning about a disease too few have ever heard of. From her own experience when she was diagnosed with aplastic anemia in 2003, Judi knows how difficult it is to explain to family and friends that you have a disease of which they’ve never heard.
Wilkinson explains, “When I was diagnosed in 2003 I was the healthiest I’d ever been in my life; I didn’t look sick. One day I lost my breath just walking to the mailbox, found bruises on my body without explanation, and saw signs that I was bleeding internally. Within days, I was treated by experts at the National Institutes of Health in Rockville, MD who weren’t sure I’d make it. A month later I came home to my husband and children looking well again. To my family and friends, I’m the same old Judi – but this experience has changed me. I want to use the second chance I’ve been given to make sure more people know how important it is for patients and families to immediately turn for answers, support and hope to the Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation.”
“A recent survey taken by AA&MDSIF indicated that more than half of patients diagnosed with aplastic anemia, MDS or another bone marrow failure disease PNH had not heard of their specific disease, let alone bone marrow failure diseases, before their diagnosis,” says AA&MDSIF Executive Director John Huber. “Bringing these little known but increasingly diagnosed diseases to the public’s attention is a valuable service, and we thank BGB Motorsports for helping us reach thousands of racing fans in this exciting way. The Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation logo on car #83 has special meaning as AA&MDSIF celebrates the 25th anniversary of its founding in 1983. Today we know there are people alive thanks to our work providing patient support and education, and funding medical research.”
John Tecce, Principal and Director of BGB Motorsports adds, “BGB Motorsports has been inspired by Judi to drive up awareness with race fans about the Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation and bone marrow failure diseases. Among those watching the race at Lime Rock and on SPEED TV here are sure to be people whose lives will be changed from having seen the AA&MDSIF logo and website on our cars. We are proud that the awareness building partnership between AA&MDSIF and BGB Motorsports will continue throughout the 2008 Grand-Am KONI Challenge season.”
The Grand-Am Series comes to Lime Rock Park this Memorial Day weekend, May 23-26, to kick off Lime Rock Park’s 2008 season. The Grand-Am GT Classic will feature the Rolex GT cars, KONI Challenge ST and GS classes, the SCCA Speed World Challenge and the Mazda Invitational (Skip Barber Racing Series).
BGB Motorsports is an ambitious, professional motorsports business. In 2006 the team won the 6 hour VIR finale, securing the manufacturers trophy for Porsche Cars North America. During 2007 BGB Motorsports finished 3rd in the 2007 Koni Challenge Team Championship. The #38 Porsche finished in the top-10 seven consecutive times in seven attempts and visited the podium during all 3 final races in 2007. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, the team operates as a customer oriented business, running cars under the Grand American Road Racing, SCCA and Porsche Club of America sanctioning bodies.
Founded in 1983, the Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation, Inc. is dedicated to serving as a resource for patient assistance, advocacy, and support. AA&MDSIF provides patients and their families with the latest medical information and funds research to find cures for aplastic anemia, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), and other bone marrow failure diseases. Educational publications are free to patients and families, the media and the general public at
www.AAMDS.org or by calling the Foundation at 800/747-2820.