Dear Friends,

After ten years as the Spondylitis Association's Director of Program Services, followed by three years serving as Associate Executive Director, it is my great pleasure and honor to have been entrusted with the responsibility of leading SAA's efforts in serving its mission as Executive Director.

For 25 years, SAA has worked tirelessly to advance research, increase awareness and provide educational programs and support services to spondyloarthritis patients and their families. The work of the organization will continue as it has in the past, with the same organizational efficiency and fiscal discipline that have earned SAA its third consecutive four-star rating from Charity Navigator and find us well positioned to move confidently toward future goals at a time when economic uncertainties are affecting all sectors of the population. That is my pledge to you, as a valued supporter of SAA.

I'd like to take an opportunity now to share some news and update you on just a few of the programs that our donors and members have helped make possible:

• Just four months after announcing the most significant breakthrough in AS research in 34 years -- the discovery of two new genes, ARTS1 and IL23R, that impact AS susceptibility -- the TASC Genetic Study Group is continuing to achieve advances in AS genetic research. In May, new research findings will be submitted to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) for release during its Annual Scientific Meeting in October. We are eagerly looking forward to sharing these new findings with you once they have been released to the public domain.
  
  
• In January, a paper published in the peer-reviewed journal, Arthritis and Rheumatism, revisited the prevalence rates of spondyloarthritis in comparison to other forms of inflammatory arthritis. The report suggests that spondyloarthritis is much more common than previously believed. Indeed, the findings suggest that spondyloarthritis may be twice as prevalent as rheumatoid arthritis, which affects roughly 1.8 million Americans. It is becoming increasingly evident that spondyloarthritis is neither a rare, nor even an uncommon disease. Right now, SAA is supporting the efforts of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and researchers who are about to embark on a five-year National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to further examine the prevalence of spondyloarthritis in the United States.
  
  
• In February, SAA brought together over 100 patients and their family members to hear lead researcher and rheumatologist John Reveille, MD speak about spondyloarthritis research, treatments and disease management at a Patient Educational Seminar in Atlanta, GA. This information-packed seminar reinforced to us the importance of sponsoring these forums in order to place patients directly in touch with the experts and with each other. We have an aggressive schedule of seminars planned for the remainder of the year with the next one to be held in Denver, CO on June 21. Additional seminars are scheduled for Minneapolis, MN in July, Philadelphia, PA in September, Dallas, TX and San Francisco, CA in October.
  
  
• It is universally recognized that exercise plays a vital role in the successful management of spondyloarthritis, and I am very glad to be able to announce that our newly updated "Back in Action" exercise DVD has just been converted from VHS. The exercise program was specifically developed by leading physical therapists with spondyloarthritis patients in mind. Each of the stretching and strengthening exercises is displayed within a separate module, with a descriptive title, and can be accessed one-by-one so that the program can be tailored to fit the needs of the individual.
  
  

As SAA celebrates a quarter century of progress, I want to personally thank you for your support. The advances that have been made during the past 25 years would not have been possible without your dedication, your commitment and your courage.

But even as we look back on how much has already been accomplished, our focus must remain firmly on the future. While we are proud of our past successes, we are more excited still about our future opportunities.

Sincerely,

Laurie M. Savage
Executive Director

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