New USB Medical Information Card Aims to Save Lives, Time and Money

(Louisville, Kentucky) – If you’re severely injured in an accident, stricken by an allergic reaction, or impaired by a stroke, heart attack or seizure, how can you possibly relay important medical information to first responders?  Have you ever wished you could avoid carrying stacks of health records and lists of prescriptions with you to your doctor’s office, only to have to copy that information by hand onto form after form?  With a goal of saving lives and making doctor trips easier, Louisville, Kentucky-based MEMI Tech, LLC is announcing the availability of the new 911 Medical ID™, the world’s thinnest USB health information storage device.

Approximately two millimeters thick, 911 Medical ID™ fits in your wallet as easily as a credit card.  It provides a simple way to store and carry important medical information, such as health history, allergies, and prescriptions, in a format that is easy for medical personnel to access. The card has been in development for three years, and the information it carries will reduce misdiagnoses, save valuable time, and even help cut the cost of medical care as we move more toward electronic records.

“The 911 Medical ID™ card has the potential to revolutionize the portable personal health record industry by giving consumers the power to better control and utilize their health information,” said MEMI Tech CEO Mark Weiss.  “The first place emergency medical professionals look for information on a patient is in his or her wallet, and stickers we provide will point them toward the 911 Medical ID™ card.  Parents, seniors, caregivers, travelers, athletes, the chronically ill, and students all have an immediate need for portable health information storage.”

When inserted into a computer’s USB port, pre-loaded software on the 911 Medical ID™ card launches immediately, and walks the user through the steps to enter information such as emergency contacts, doctors, medical conditions, prescriptions, a living will, medical tests, and family history.  The card’s one or two-gigabyte capacity and password-protected storage allow the user to store other necessary documents as well.  Additionally, each cardholder has the option of storing the medical records of up to ten family members right on your card.  Information on the card can also be automatically backed up to a secure password-protected website at no charge.

“Every time you go to a doctor, you are asked questions to update their records, and a visit to a new doctor can take forever because of the stack of forms that need to be filled out,” said Weiss.  “This card not only provides the piece of mind that your health information is available in the case of an emergency, it can also save time.  Just give the doctor’s staff the 911 Medical ID™ card, and tell them that all of your information is available inside.”

Another one of the many features that make 911 Medical ID™ card unique is the “Forever Benefit”.  As electronic medical records evolve, MEMI Tech is constantly improving the software for the card.  When an upgrade is available, the card is automatically updated.  This means a card purchased today will always be up-to-date.

For more information, please call or email the contact at the top of this release.

About MEMI Tech
Based in Louisville, Kentucky, MEMI Tech, LLC is the developer of the world’s thinnest, patent-protected, USB device, the 911 Medical ID™ Card. This unique, convenient credit card-sized USB storage device fits easily into your purse or wallet, and is designed to hold personal medical information to be used in the case of emergency.  For more information on MEMI Tech and the 911 Medical ID™ Card, please visit http://www.911medicalid.com.

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I just read on Mashable about the official release of the Twitter Peek, a new handheld Internet device that connects only to Twitter.  It’s a head-scratcher.  Obviously, any smartphone out there will connect to Twitter one way or another.  The price is good ($199.99 with lifetime mobile service included or $99.99 with six months included and then a monthly fee) but it seems to me that purchasing a smartphone makes a lot more sense because it can accomplish other tasks, like .. well .. making phonecalls.  Peek is known better for their handheld email-only devices.

Regardless of whether the product makes sense or anyone will buy it, I think it’s an interesting statement on how much Twitter is weaving itself into our lives.  Have you ever seen a Facebook-only device?  Yeah … me neither.

Public relations has always included business-to-consumer promotions in its arsenal of tools, but a large portion of the PR business has traditionally involved attempting to get stories placed in the media, in the hope that the consumer will then see those stories.  Even highly public promotional stunts were largely, in the end, designed to gain mass media coverage.

But, what happens when the media weakens, and there aren’t enough reporters to cover even the most fascinating stories?

I happened upon two different articles this week that say essentially what I’ve been saying for some time — the answer is to create your OWN media.  Blogging, podcasting, web videos, online news release distribution, Tweeting, and Facebooking all can take your message to your customers in an unfiltered way.

From Advertising Age:

As the body count of magazines and daily newspapers continues to rise and the once-robust news and feature holes of surviving publications shrink along with reporting staffs, some marketers have given up on the traditional path to media coverage: pitching journalists. According to the website Paper Cuts, which tracks layoffs and buyouts at U.S. newspapers, nearly 30,000 reporters have left the industry since the beginning of 2008. So instead of pitching their stories to reporters, a growing number of marketers are directly engaging consumers through original content they and their agencies are creating.

This bleak picture of the media industry is one that I see on a regular basis.  I still do quite a bit of traditional media pitching, in addition to the social media PR tasks that I perform for clients.  While I still have success with my client media pitches, there simply aren’t the same number of opportunities for media placement as there were for PR professionals ten years ago.  The answer is to add to the value of your announcement/story/new product/etc. by utilizing social media tools.

More on the topic comes from Newsvetter, which says the death of the newspaper beat system is a huge opportunity for PR pros to become the experts that reporters so desperately need.  I’ve lived the issues that this article brings up as well.  At medium to large newspapers, there used to be one reporter in charge of health, another in charge of technology, and so on.  Now, one reporter might be in charge of health AND technology AND food AND any number of other things.  Even worse, reporters might be assigned to stories based completely on availability, not on knowledge of a topic.  One suggestion from Newsvetter to make yourself the expert that reporters can rely upon is to utilize corporate blogging:

Minimize the use of the dreaded press release and focus instead on developing your own corporate news channel that distributes information via blogs, Twitter, Facebook, FriendFeed, or some other platform that you control. This will get your information to both consumers and the media.

Solid recommendation.

One thing to bear in mind in this new world of PR is that you can’t ignore the traditional media any more than you can ignore the new social media channels.  The old media is not dead, and I don’t think they’ll ever completely die.  I’m not ready to write their obituary and chisel their headstone, despite the attempt at an amusing picture at the top of this blog post.  The world is changing, however, and PR professionals who want to be successful need to change with it.

Sheltering Arms Helps Patients Connect with Families Despite H1N1 Restrictions

Richmond, Virginia (October 26, 2009) – This season’s H1N1 influenza outbreak has led area hospitals to take drastic, yet proactive, measures to keep patients safe. Sheltering Arms, in turn, has come up with a creative solution that will allow them to continue to have the benefit of visitation with family members.

About a dozen hospitals in the Richmond-Petersburg area, including Sheltering Arms two inpatient facilities, have coordinated efforts in the interest of patient and health care provider safety to restrict visiting policies at their hospitals. This means that with few exceptions, children under the age of 18 and visitors of any age with any symptoms of influenza-like illness will not be permitted in patient care areas. Knowing that the care and support of loved ones are catalysts in helping patients in their recovery process, Sheltering Arms has made web-cams available at both of their area hospitals.

“Loved ones, particularly children and grandchildren, often provide the extra motivation that patients need to work hard, regain their independence and return home,” says Stephanie Sulmer, Director of Public Relations for Sheltering Arms. “Of course, we support the initiative of the Virginia Department of Health and our healthcare partners throughout Central Virginia in protecting our patients from flu exposure. At the same time, we want to make sure that our patients have all of the necessary components to help them get better, including the people they love most.”

Upon the announcement of the visitation policy limitations, Sheltering Arms immediately put a plan into action to have the web-cams implemented in the hospitals prior to the policy becoming effective on Monday, October 26th. These limitations are expected to be in place through March 2010.

“Our patients are often with us for weeks, even months sometimes,” adds Sulmer. “We want to facilitate keeping them in touch with family and friends who fall into the ‘restricted categories.’ The web-cams will add an element of communication and interaction that is lost over the telephone or Internet.”

About Sheltering Arms
Sheltering Arms helps patients find the Power to Overcome the obstacles of illness and injury with a complete range of physical rehabilitation and wellness services. To learn more about Sheltering Arms’ two hospitals and eight outpatient clinics, visit www.ShelteringArms.com, or call 1-877-56REHAB.

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This release also found at:
Online PR News: Sheltering Arms Keeps Family Connections Alive Despite H1N1 Restrictions

It went unnoticed for a lot of people because Facebook groups are not used as widely as they used to be, but Facebook earlier this week unveiled a redesign of those groups. The screen shot below is of the former Fight SMA Facebook Group, which I’ve been working for some time to transition to a Fan Page.

The first thing you’ll notice (click the image for a larger view) is that the look and layout are now much more in line with Fan Pages and individual profiles.  One obvious unique addition is organization information in the left sidebar, above information about group members.

So, the first question I asked myself after hearing of this redesign is, “Are groups now better than Fan Pages for businesses?”  For the answer, lets look at the pros and cons of each…

Groups have always had one huge benefit over pages: You can send a message through Facebook to every member of the group at once.  You’ve never been able to do this with a Fan Page.  If you are using Facebook to promote a business or other organization, it’s a great way to contact people and perhaps offer a coupon or other special benefit to members of your group.  It can help you create something along the lines of a “special customers” club.

The benefit that Fan Pages have had over groups is that when you post something on your Fan Page, it shows up in your fans’ news feed.  This is great for promoting your company, as the posts show up in the feed alongside status updates, pictures, and videos posted by friends of your fans.  This obviously makes your news more likely to be seen.   The problem with groups has been the lack of this feature, which made your news invisible to anyone who didn’t actually visit the group page.  This has changed somewhat with the new group redesign, as Facebook has introduced a somewhat neutered version of this feature.  Facebook explained how it works in their blog on Monday…

To ensure that you get the most interesting and relevant content from groups you’ve joined, you only will see stories [in your news feed] when one of your friends posts within a group rather than when all members post. For example, you now will see a story when your friend uploads photos from a recent party at your high school alumni group or when one of your friends posts a message on the Wall of your pick-up soccer group saying that there is a special game this week.

So what does this all mean?  If you already have a Fan Page or a group and have a decent number of fans or group members … keep the status quo.  I know from experience that it’s VERY hard to get people to move from a Fan Page to a group, or vice versa.  There’s no way to pick them up and move them all at once.  They have to do it themselves, and it’s like herding ferrets.  Until this redesign I would have recommended that any organization move from a group to a Fan Page, but it’s no longer a clear cut decision.

If you don’t currently have a group or a Fan Page, or are thinking of making a change, you have a decision to make about how you plan to use Facebook.  If you’ll be primarily posting news about your company and perhaps having discussions with your customers, then a Fan Page is the way to go.  If you’re close with your customers (i.e. you’re Facebook friends with many of them) and need a way to message all of them at once (perhaps to send a coupon) then consider starting a group.

One more note: Become a “fan” of EndGame PR on Facebook!

I’ve been remiss in mentioning a brand new website I recently finished up for a client.  I’ve done quite a bit of web work for the Virginia Community College System (VCCS), and the most recent work involved their international study program.  It may (or may not) surprise you to learn that the community college system here in Virginia has a great student and faculty exchange program.  It’s not the kind of thing you normally expect from a community college.

VCCS already had a section of their existing website that had information about exchange programs, but they wanted more.  They asked me to build a relatively simple website that showed more images and had more information.  I’m quite happy with the results!

You can see a screen shot of the site to the right (click for a larger version), or visit the actual site here.

EndGame PR Retained to Promote Health Information Storage Card

Richmond, Virginia (October 20, 2009) — EndGame Public Relations President Steve Mullen announced today that Kentucky-based MEMI Tech, LLC has retained his firm to launch and promote its unique and life-saving new health information storage card, 911 Medical ID™.

The 911 Medical ID™ Card is the world’s thinnest patent-protected USB device.  Approximately the same size as a credit card, it gives consumers a way to store and carry with them important emergency medical information such as allergies, prescriptions and pre-existing conditions, in a way that is easy for medical personnel to access.  The card will not only reduce misdiagnoses, it will also help to cut the cost of medical care as the industry moves more and more toward electronic medical records.

“This is an exciting and innovative product that will literally save lives,” said Mullen. “I’m thrilled to be working with the MEMI Tech team to make sure as many people as possible can have the feeling of well-being that comes with knowing their important medical information is available in the case of an emergency.”

EndGame PR, a Richmond, Virginia-based Social Media PR firm, will use a mix of media relations, social networking, and social media to promote the health information card.

“Social media and social networking are not only outstanding tools but a necessity for a new product such as 911 Medical ID™,” said Mark Weiss, CEO of MEMI Tech. “We chose EndGame PR as our public relations partner specifically because of the firm’s knowledge and experience with both traditional PR and web marketing.”

911 Medical ID™ is available for sale through the product’s website, www.911medicalid.com.

About EndGame Public Relations, LLC
EndGame Public Relations, LLC is a full service Social Media PR firm based in Richmond, Virginia.  EndGame PR mixes traditional and new marketing strategies to promote clients, using tactics such as media relations, crisis communications, social media strategy, blogging, web design, search engine optimization, and corporate podcasts and web videos. For more information on EndGame PR, please visit http://www.endgamepr.com/ or call (804) 372-7677.

About MEMI Tech
Based in Louisville, Kentucky, MEMI Tech, LLC is the developer of the world’s thinnest, patent-protected, USB device, the 911 Medical ID™ Card. This unique, convenient credit card-sized USB storage device fits easily into your purse or wallet, and is designed to hold personal medical information to be used in the case of emergency.  For more information on MEMI Tech and the 911 Medical ID™ Card, please visit http://www.911medicalid.com.

This release also found at:
Richmond, Virginia Social Media PR Firm Retained to Promote 911 Medical ID
Richmond, Virginia Social Media PR Firm Retained to Promote Health Information Storage Card
EndGame Public Relations Retained to Promote 911 Medical ID™ Health Information Storage Card

If you’re a member of the Twitter Elite (Twelite? Tweelite?) or even a regular user of Twitter, you probably already know everything there is to know about setting up your Twitter account.  This post is for everyone else.

I’m surprised at the number of people who have 1,000+ followers, but haven’t filled out the basic information that Twitter allows.  In fact, when I see an account with a mess of followers but no details, I automatically assume they’re playing the Twitter Numbers Game, and don’t follow the person.

Below are a list of five tasks that I feel are required for a successful Twitter account:

1. Upload a profile picture: If I see a brown square with two circles and a line, I know that’s not you and I wonder what you’re hiding.
2. Fill out your bio: How am I going to learn about you if you don’t tell me?
3. Provide a link: This is a chance to market your website.  Why pass that up?
4. Start posting BEFORE you start following: When I get a follow notification, I actually check out the new follower’s profile.  This gets time consuming, but I feel like it’s good courtesy.  It also keeps me from following people wholesale, which leads to having to unfollow people later.  When I check out a profile and it only has a couple of posts (or worse, doesn’t have ANY posts), I don’t follow back.  I suspect a lot of people are like this.  Before you start following people, write at least 5-10 posts so people know that type of Tweeter you are.
5. Get a custom twitter background: Anyone who has been on Twitter for a while can spot a generic Twitter background.  If you don’t have the graphic skills necessary to make one yourself, go to Twitbacks and get a free one.

Happy Tweeting!

PS – Once you’ve completed these tasks, follow me!

There’s an interesting article at Mashable today about data suggesting that Facebook and Twitter traffic is flattening.  According to the article:

Somewhere in June [...] Twitter stopped growing, at least according to Compete. The same thing happened to Facebook (Facebook) at the exact same time; at first we’ve attributed the traffic numbers to the summer slumber, but now that Compete’s numbers for September are out, there’s no doubt that both Facebook and Twitter are no longer growing, at least in the eyes of the (admittedly US-centric) Compete.

Be sure to click over to the article, and check out the charts.  They paint the picture pretty well.

So, what does this mean exactly?  That’s unknown at this point, but there are several possibilities.  One is that it’s a blip on the growth chart.  That’s unlikely, as it’s a three month slowdown.  Another possibility is that it’s due to summer and vacations.  Unlikely also, since the slowdown (or even reversal) extends into September.

The final (and I think most likely) possible explanation is that we’re reaching the saturation point (at least in the U.S.) for social networking.  Most of the people who were going to join … have joined.

When you think about it, the saturation theory makes sense.  I frequently teach classes and lead workshops on how business owners can use social media and social networking tools like Facebook and Twitter.  I always ask how many in the room use each site, to get an idea of how much explanation will be needed.  Generally, about 75-95% in the room use Facebook.  How many more are really going to sign up?  No product is ever going to have 100% penetration, even within its target demographic.  For example, there are plenty of people who don’t use email much or at all, even though it’s been an accepted business tool for more than 10 years.

My informal polls usually show 25-50% of the room using Twitter.  There’s obviously a lot of room for expansion, but will Twitter ever get significantly larger?  The site concept isn’t as easy to “get” as Facebook, and many people don’t like condensing their thoughts into 140 characters or less.  Many people will never be comfortable on Twitter.

So, if the saturation theory is correct … what’s next for these sites?  For Facebook, there aren’t many worries.  The company is profitable and 300-million users is nothing to scoff at.  For Twitter, the news isn’t as good.  The company is not making a single dime of its own money, despite their recent move to start posting ads on the site and recent infusions of venture funding.

While Twitter’s user base (estimated at 13 to 15-million) is quite healthy, if it stops growing, bad things could happen.  The most damaging scenario could be that a new competitor seeps in, starts growing, and becomes the “next big thing”.  Remember FriendFeed?  It was a big dog on the block once upon a time.  Then, Facebook came along.  Now, Facebook owns FriendFeed.

It should come as no surprise, but it’s at least a confirmation of what I and others have been saying for a while.  A new study by Middleberg Communications and the Society for New Communications Research (SNCR) shows that 70% of reporters use social media sites like Facebook and Twitter when doing research for stories.

Here’s an excerpt from an article about the study on Journalistics:

The survey also found that 69 percent of respondents go to company websites to assist in their reporting, while 66 percent use blogs, 51 percent use Wikipedia (wow), 48 percent go to online videos (double wow), and 47 percent use Twitter and other microblogging services (would have guessed higher on this one).

A big part of this shift has to revolve around journalists having less help to do their jobs, while being required to produce more content across various formats in near real-time. Journalists have no choice but to use these tools to find sources fast – and in some instances – crowdsource suggestions, tips and interviews.

This is just confirmation that companies need to think of the big picture when formulating their web marketing strategy.  Of course, we should take the stories directly to the reporters by using media relations tactics.  However, reporters come up with stories on their own, and we need to be where they’re looking.  That means, among other things, being on Twitter and having good visibility in relevant Wikipedia articles.  One thing left out of the study (as far as I know) was how often reporters simply search on Google for sources.  I’d be willing to bet the percentage is quite high … so high in fact that SEO should be an extremely high priority for businesses.

Here’s a link to more on the study, from Journalistics.

All day on Sunday, I noticed a flood of new Twitter followers. This is rather unexpected on a Sunday, as you might imagine. I couldn’t figure out what I could have possibly done to trigger it. Then, I figured it out. Valeria Maltoni, writer of the excellent blog Conversation Agent, named me one of her 100 PR People Worth Following on Twitter. I’m thrilled at this, of course, and want to thank Valeria … not only for naming me to her list, but for compiling the list in the first place. There are thousands (millions?) of great PR people on Twitter, and this list is a wonderful starting point for anyone who wants to join in the PR conversation on the micro-blogging site.

If you want to do it the easy way, Neville Hobson created a list on TweepML.  You can follow each of the 100 on Valeria’s list by clicking one button!  Follow this link: http://tweepml.org/PR-100/

I had a great time meeting a room full of business owners in Fredericksburg, Virginia last Thursday.  I was speaking as part of a Rappohannock Region SBDC entrepreneurship workshop series.  My portion of the discussion covered web marketing – specifically SEO, social networking, and social media.  This was the first of four workshop dates.  I’ll be speaking during the third date as well, which will be held on October 8.

Several attendees requested a copy of my slide presentation, so I’ve posted it here.  Thanks for inviting me!

NVALEO CEO to Discuss Internet TV Technology at Upcoming Event

Richmond, Virginia (September 16, 2009) – We’re living in the early stages of a revolution in the way television content is delivered. The future will not include a near monopoly by the cable and satellite television companies, but rather strong competition from the Internet. The leader of one of the companies leading this revolution, Jeff Ritchie of NVALEO, is coming to Richmond next week to talk about his company and the new options for watching informational and entertaining programming on television.

The NVALEO Enrichment System is a television set-top digital delivery system that broadcasts exclusive live and on-demand high definition video content. The educational and informational programming is delivered to the HD set-top box via the Internet.

“Because the cost to content providers is so much lower with a system such as NVALEO than it is to launch a show on network or cable television, we’re finding that it’s leading to a true democratization of informational programming,” said Mr. Ritchie.

NVALEO has already gathered approximately 50 content providers. These providers deliver wide-ranging content including programs on entrepreneurship, health, sports, fitness, and many other topics. Additionally, NVALEO is dedicating a portion of its network for use as a fundraising tool for nonprofit organizations. Approved nonprofits will have their own channel to broadcast their content, helping to reduce the need for costly marketing campaigns and fundraising events.

Mr. Ritchie’s presentation on NVALEO and the opportunities presented by Internet-delivered television programming will begin at 7pm on Tuesday, September 22 at the Hilton Garden Inn at Innsbrook (4050 Cox Road, Glen Allen, VA, 23060). Registration is free, but seating is limited.

For those unable to attend the event, an online video stream is available.

For more information and to register, please visit www.eaglehousedeals.com/event.

About NVALEO
NVALEO, or “En Valeo”, translated from Latin, is the declaration that you see something before you – whether an action or a person – of great strength, power and influence. Based in Jacksonville, Florida, NVALEO makes, distributes, and provides programming for the NVALEO Enrichment System, a television set-top digital delivery system that broadcasts exclusive live and on-demand high definition video content. NVALEO has thus far gathered approximately 50 content providers that will deliver wide-ranging informational, educational, and entertaining content. For more information, please visit http://www.nvaleo.com.

I’ve mentioned before that it seems like I’ll go a while without anyone asking me to present at a workshop or speak to a group, and then I’ll have several crop up in a short amount of time.  That’s being proven again.  My last speaking engagement was several months ago, but I’ll have three coming up in the next 30 days.

Here’s what I have coming up:

September 24, 2009: Present on using Social Media for marketing at a workshop organized by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Fredericksburg area Small Business Development Center (SBDC).  The workshop will be from 8:30am until 10:30am at the Stafford (Virginia) Campus of the University of Mary Washington.

October 1, 2009: Present at a meeting of the Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce about using social media, social networking, and SEO for web marketing.  The presentation will be from 3:30pm until 5:30pm (with a reception to follow) at the Village Bank headquarters in Midlothian, VA.

October 8, 2009: Present on how to market your website at another workshop organized by the SBA and Fredericksburg SBDC.  The workshop will be from 8:30am until 10:30am at the Stafford (Virginia) Campus of the University of Mary Washington.

Keep an eye on this blog and my Twitter stream, as I expect to have registration details in the next few days.

If you’re interested in having me speak to your group about public relations, social media, SEO, or any number of other topics, please contact me!

New Application Helps Twitter Users Contact Legislators about SMA

(Santa Barbara, CA) – Millions of people ‘Tweet’ every day, and Bill Strong knew there had to be a way to harness all of that online talk to help end spinal muscular atrophy, a disease that is affecting him very personally. With a Twitter application called ‘Tweet for a Cure’ and the help of thousands of Twitter users, he’s making progress in his quest to find a cure.

Bill and Victoria Strong’s daughter, Gwendolyn (seen to the right), was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) at the age of six months.  SMA is a neuromuscular disease that causes weakness and wasting of the muscles.  In the most severe cases, it can rob its victims of the ability to crawl, sit, walk, breathe, eat, talk, or even smile.  SMA is the leading genetic killer of children under two.

Not long after the SMA diagnosis, Bill and Victoria founded the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation to raise awareness of and money for SMA research.  Bill also serves on the board of directors of Fight SMA, a larger organization with a mission of strategically advancing research for SMA.

Bill has harnessed the power of the Internet and social media for several campaigns that further his cause of raising much needed awareness of SMA.  His latest effort is “Tweet for a Cure”.  The Twitter application helps users send a “tweet” to their local legislators.  The message asks the legislators to support the SMA Treatment Acceleration Act.  The proposed legislation in the United States, written and backed by multiple SMA organizations, would help to clear the way for researchers to find a cure for the disease.  Within one month of its launch, more than 2,600 people utilized “Tweet for a Cure”, reaching nearly two million Twitter users.

“Using social media, such as Twitter, Facebook, and even online petitions, organizations like ours can reach large numbers of people with less effort than it took just a few years ago,” said Strong.  “We’re grateful for the individuals who have used ‘Tweet for a Cure’ and for those who have signed our online petition, and hope that they continue to support our efforts to help end spinal muscular atrophy.“

Bill’s online petition, which asks that legislators support the SMA Treatment Acceleration Act, can be found at http://www.petitiontocuresma.com.  Since being created in July of 2008, it has gathered approximately 70-thousand digital signatures.

To find the “Tweet for a Cure” application, go to http://www.endsma.org/twitter.  To learn about the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation, go to http://www.endsma.org.  For more about spinal muscular atrophy, go to Fight SMA’s website, at http://www.fightsma.org.

About Fight SMA
Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, Fight SMA (also known as Andrew’s Buddies) is an international nonprofit group dedicated to accelerating research for a treatment or a cure for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a neuromuscular disorder that kills more babies than any other genetic disease. The latest SMA news and research information is available at Fight SMA’s Spinal Muscular Atrophy Blog, at http://www.fightsma/blog.

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This release also found at:
Online PR News: Thousands Voice Support for Spinal Muscular Atrophy Research with “Tweet for a Cure”
PRLog: New Application Helps Twitter Users Contact Legislators about Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Upcoming TV Documentary Celebrates National Rehabilitation Awareness Week

Richmond, Virginia (August 27, 2009) – When a healthcare organization has been around for more than 120 years, it’s likely to have many, many remarkable success stories.  Television viewers in Richmond will be treated in September to three such stories about patients of Sheltering Arms who learned the Power to Overcome.  A half-hour documentary about the patients’ recovery from health challenges and disability and how that recovery was achieved will air on three area television stations during the month.

The documentary is being released to coincide with National Rehabilitation Awareness Week, which is celebrated by gubernatorial proclamation in Virginia from September 20-26.  The program will air Tuesday, September 8 at 9:00 p.m. on WRIC (channel 8), on Saturday, September 12 at 7:00 p.m. on WWBT (channel 12), and on Saturday, September 19 at 7:30 p.m. on WTVR (channel 6).  Emmy Award-winning local videographer Eric Futterman produced the documentary.

Sheltering Arms began in 1889 in downtown Richmond as the area’s first acute care hospital that treated all patients regardless of ability to pay.  Today, Sheltering Arms is Central Virginia’s premier physical rehabilitation healthcare provider.

“Recovery from disability due to illness or injury is extremely hard work for the patient and his or her rehabilitation team,” said Sheltering Arms President Jim Sok.  “Everyone involved must have a high level of dedication, as well as access to the latest technology.  I’m thrilled everyone will be able to see these wonderful stories.”

Profiled during the program are three local residents who achieved remarkable recovery.

Jamaal Williams is a former Virginia Union University football player, who had a massive stroke at the age of 28.  When he arrived at Sheltering Arms, he was completely paralyzed on the left side of his body and was unable to speak.  Today, with help from his rehab team and technologies like the REO robotic trainer and SaeboFlex, he is mobile, vocal, and independent.

David Thomas was left immobile and unable to eat food or speak following a brain aneurysm.  His family was told to consider putting him in a nursing home. Instead, he was transferred to Sheltering Arms, where the gains he made in the hospital and after his return home have been nothing short of miraculous.  His first words post-stroke were to his daughter, when he said he loved her.  Recently, he walked her down the aisle at her wedding.

Dorothy “Dot” Hughes has a lifelong relationship with Sheltering Arms.  In the 1950s, her two sons were born at the hospital.  All that she was asked to bring with her were cans of evaporated milk.  No payment was required.  In 2002, she was once again cared for by Sheltering Arms, this time as a stroke rehabilitation patient.  Today, she participates in Club Rec, a day recreation program for individuals with a disability or physical limitation.  Club Rec is one of many services in Sheltering Arms’ Partner for Life Program.

The documentary is not the only Rehabilitation Awareness Week activity this year.  On Friday, September 25, Sheltering Arms is partnering with AAA of Virginia to hold an event called CarFit.  At the event, elderly members of the community will work with trained therapists to ensure they’re safe to drive.  They will receive a detailed 20-minute inspection and one-on-one meeting where therapists will make sure the vehicle is set up appropriately to make them as safe as possible on the road.

On September 23, Sheltering Arms will honor the hard work and triumphs of all physical rehabilitation patients with the third annual Celebration of the Power to Overcome. The gala event will take place in the Grand Ballroom of The Jefferson Hotel.  It will be emceed by local radio and television personality Bill Bevins, and will feature a keynote address from award winning comedian and cancer survivor Scott Burton.

Clips of the documentary are available for media use. For more information, please call one of the contact numbers at the top of this release.

About Sheltering Arms
Sheltering Arms helps patients find the Power to Overcome the obstacles of illness and injury with a complete range of physical rehabilitation and wellness services.  To learn more about Sheltering Arms’ two hospitals and eight outpatient clinics, visit www.ShelteringArms.com, or call 1-877-56-REHAB.  To read the latest news from Sheltering Arms and about physical rehabilitation, visit the Sheltering Arms Blog.

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This release can also be found at Online PR News:
TV Documentary from Sheltering Arms Celebrates National Rehabilitation Awareness Week

Date and Home Lineup Set for 2009 Autumn Pilgrimage House Tour

Charles City, VA (August 4, 2009) — History will once again be on display in Charles City County this fall, for a good cause.  Westover Church announced that its 15th Autumn Pilgrimage House and Garden Tour will be held Saturday, September 26, 2009, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  All the properties on this year’s tour are historic and several have not been available for public touring for many years. One historic house was originally built in 1790 in Chesterfield County and was moved in 1998 to its current site by barge to the banks of the James River.

Over the years, the tour has generated well over $160,000 for Westover Church and its charitable outreach programs. “Meals on Wheels” is the primary recipient, along with other local, national and international concerns, which benefit from this event. Significant contributions have been made to the Katrina storm victims, the Crow Indian Reservation in North Dakota, and the Diocesan Relief Fund, among others.

Charles City County boasts a wealth of history, not only in terms of events and the people who helped shape our country, but also in terms of architecture. From imposing 18th century plantation houses to smaller domestic structures, churches and new homes, the county offers a stunning breadth of American architecture. A truly notable architectural tour in Charles City must include visits to its numerous historic plantations and private homes. The ancestral homes of past presidents and notables of Virginia society serve as glimpses of the past, which bring past events that shaped our country to life.

Properties on the 2009 Autumn Pilgrimage House Tour

Westover Church

Westover Parish Church (seen right)
One of the oldest churches in the country, its predecessor was constructed between 1630 and 1637 on Westover plantation. The original structure was dismantled circa 1730, and was reconstructed at its present site on Herring Creek. Through the centuries, farmers, plantation owners, slaves have worshipped at Westover Parish Church.  Notable attendees at the church include George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, John Tyler and Theodore Roosevelt.

Bethany Presbyterian Church
This beautiful Greek Revival church was built in 1869. The white frame building has a classical facade with a portico supported by Doric columns. Members of the congregation will serve refreshments during the tour.

Berkeley Plantation
No tour of properties in Charles City County would be complete without a visit to Berkeley.  One of the first great estates in America, the plantation was part of a 1618 land grant.  It was the site of the first Thanksgiving and the first playing of the military song, “Taps”, and also served as a field hospital during the Civil War.  Benjamin Harrison IV built the mansion.  Born in the home were his son, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and Governor of Virginia, and his grandson, Governor of the Indiana Territory and ninth President of the United States.

Sherwood Forest
Sherwood Forest Plantation was the home of the 10th U.S. President John Tyler from 1842 until his death in 1862. Sherwood Forest Plantation has been the continuous residence of the Tyler family since the President purchased it in 1842. Known to be the longest frame house in America, it is over 300 feet long.

Kittiewan
Built in 1728, this property was donated to the Archaeological Society of Virginia and is undergoing physical and archaeological study.

Weyanoke and Upper Weyanoke
These two homes are part of properties owned by several Virginia families prominent in Virginia history, such as Sir George Yeardly, Abraham Piersley, William Harwood, Fielding Lewis Douthat and his wife Mary Willis Marshall, granddaughter of the Chief Justice.

North Bend Plantation Bed & Breakfast
This home was built in 1819 for Sarah Harrison, the sister of President William Henry Harrison. The plantation lands are still under cultivation by the current owners, the Copland family, descendants of the Ruffin and Harrison families.

Richmond View
Richmond View was originally built in Chesterfield County ca. 1790. The house was located in an industrial corridor between Interstate 95 and the James River and was in danger of complete ruin until the owners moved it to Charles City by barge in 1998.  In 2006, Richmond View was designated by Southern Living magazine as the “Best Preservation” project of the year.

Activities on the day of the Tour

The day of the pilgrimage will kick off with a presentation of the foxhounds from Princess Anne Hunt Club at Sherwood Forest Plantation from 9 until 9:30 a.m. A variety of activities will follow at Westover Church throughout the day, including lunchtime entertainment by various groups from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Local products and produce, including pumpkins will be featured at the church lawn throughout the day. Box lunches may be reserved in advance and will be served at the church from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The youth of Westover Church will sell homemade goods and a la carte lunch items, including chili and hot dogs.

Two distinctive plants highly favored in local gardens will be available for sale: Poet’s Laurel (danae racemosa), an evergreen shrub useful for flower arrangements and Spider Lily bulbs (lycoris radiata of the amaryllis family), a favorite fall blooming flower.  Other perennials, such as daffodils and day lilies will be available for sale.

Raffle Tickets
Raffle prizes will be a Sony Cybershot Camera (donated by Office DEPOT), a Trek Navigator 2.0 three-speed mountain bike, and overnight accommodations for two at North Bend Plantation Bed & Breakfast with dinner at Charles City Tavern. Winners will be chosen from the raffle drawing at 5 p.m. Cost of the raffle tickets are $5 each or six tickets for $25. For more information or to purchase raffle tickets, contact Theresa Coyne, 804-829-9077 or westoverpilgrimage@yahoo.com. The raffle tickets will be on sale the day of the tour at Richmond View, Sherwood Forest Plantation, Westover and Westover Church.

Ticket and Lunch Information
Tour tickets may be purchased in advance through September 22, 2009 for $30 per person. Tickets may be purchased on the day of the tour for $35 per person at Richmond View, Sherwood Forest Plantation, Westover and Westover Church. Box lunches may be ordered in advance for $12 each and will be available at Westover Church between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Advance tickets and lunch reservations contact:
For advance admission tickets, raffle tickets and lunch reservations, send checks, payable to Westover Church by September 22, to Teresa Coyne, 13101 Tyler’s Mill Road, Charles City, VA  23030. Tickets may be purchased on the day of tour, September 26 at Richmond View, Sherwood Forest Plantation, Westover and Westover Church.

For more information or questions, contact:
Teresa Coyne at (804) 829-9077, westoverpilgrimage@yahoo.com
Kay Tyler at (804) 358-6248, ktyler@sherwoodforest.org
Westover Parish Church webpage

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Fight SMA Publishes Web Video from 2009 Spinal Muscular Atrophy Conference

Richmond, VA (June 16, 2009) – The Fight SMA 2009 Annual Spinal Muscular Atrophy Conference, The Good Fight, featured many firsts.  One of the most important to SMA families was the first-ever webcast of the “Friends and Family” portion of the conference.  Now, Fight SMA is announcing that the video from that webcast is available for online viewing and download.

Founded in 1991 in Richmond, Virginia, Fight SMA is an international non-profit organization dedicated to finding a treatment or cure for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), the leading inherited killer of children under two.  The neuromuscular disease affects the victim’s motor neurons, causing muscle atrophy, loss of strength, and disability.  The majority of children who are born with SMA die prematurely due to respiratory complications.

“We were thrilled with the success of our first conference webcast, and we’re very excited to be able to make this video available,” said Fight SMA President Martha Slay.  “Families facing SMA need all of the information they can get about research, and the scientists who attended our conference are some of the best in the world.”

The video features the “Basic Science Update”, one of two panel discussions during the Families and Friends Conference.  Fight SMA Science Director Dr. Chris Lorson from the University of Missouri in Columbia led the discussion.  He presented the most current information available about the search for an SMA cure.

To view and download the video, please visit the 2009 Spinal Muscular Atrophy Conference page on the Fight SMA website.  The page can be accessed via a link on the front page of the Fight SMA site, or via this link: http://www.fightsma.org/index.php?annual_meeting_2009 .

About Fight SMA
Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, Fight SMA (also known as Andrew’s Buddies) is an international nonprofit group dedicated to accelerating research for a treatment or a cure for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a neuromuscular disorder that kills more babies than any other genetic disease.  For more information on spinal muscular atrophy and Fight SMA, please visit http://www.fightsma.org.  The latest SMA news and research information is available at the Spinal Muscular Atrophy Blog, at http://www.fightsma/blog.

Must-Attend Events for Middle and High School Athletes

Richmond, Virginia (May 19, 2009) – College athletics are more competitive than ever, which means athletes need to stand out from the crowd. On Saturday, May 30, 2009, Acceleration Richmond will hold several events to help athletes and their parents learn how to do just that.

First, middle and high school football players are invited to the Central Virginia Football Combine at 10:00 a.m. at St. Catherine’s School Lower Fields. For a minimal cost of $50, students can fine-tune their skills in the following areas: 40-yard dash, Pro-Agility, L-Drill, Vertical Jump, Broad Jump, and 185lb Bench Press* (high school only).

Acceleration Richmond will award 10 of these athletes with a “Golden Pass” to participate in a Football University (FBU) mini-camp. This will occur at Acceleration Richmond’s Open House and will feature a Free Football Recruiting Seminar presented by Rivals.com. Every participant in an FBU mini-camp will be exposed to Acceleration Richmond’s specialized football training program- from pre-camp assessment of gait, stability, strength and power, through mini-camp experiences that will enhance every athlete’s speed, power, agility and playmaking skills, to a sit-down, post-camp evaluation with each player and his parents.

The Acceleration Richmond Open House will take place following the combine at 1:00 p.m. at the Acceleration Richmond facility – 1501 Maple Avenue, Suite 100. Athletes and their parents will get advice from professionals and learn the following information:

· What It Takes To Elevate Your Game to the Next Level
· Every Aspect of the Recruiting Process
· How to Obtain a College Scholarship
· How to Receive Maximum College Exposure
· How to Move to the Top of Recruiters’ Target Lists

The Open House and College Recruiting Seminar are free of charge and are must-attend events for athletes who are looking to gain a competitive edge. It is not necessary to participate in the combine to attend.

About Acceleration Richmond
Acceleration Richmond is the area’s premier athlete training center and fitness facility, specializing in the one-of-a-kind Athletic Republic sports training programs. The specially educated trainers and staff are committed to helping clients achieve their athletic and fitness performance goals. Acceleration Richmond operates in the Sheltering Arms outpatient clinic on Maple Avenue. For more information, contact (804) 545-FAST, or visit www.accelerationrichmond.com.

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Sheltering Arms Launches New Social Media Strategy

Richmond, Virginia (May 18, 2009) – It’s possible to learn new things, even at the age of 120 years old! Sheltering Arms, Central Virginia’s premier physical therapy healthcare provider, announced that it’s launching a new social media strategy. The Richmond-based non-profit organization, which was founded in 1889, will use a variety of social media techniques to better provide information to its patients.

Social media techniques will provide patients and potential patients a number of new ways to connect with and learn about Sheltering Arms. Working to develop and carry out the new social media strategy is Metro Richmond-based Social Media PR firm EndGame Public Relations.

“In my view, a social media strategy is essential for any business, because you simply can’t reach your audience solely through the traditional media anymore” said EndGame PR President Steve Mullen. “I’m thrilled Sheltering Arms is entering the world of social media, and I’m thrilled to be working with them.”

Sheltering Arms has already launched a new YouTube channel, where videos from the organization can easily be found. Also in place is the new Sheltering Arms Facebook Fan Page, which can be found at. Next steps include creating a blog and a podcast. Future steps may include a Sheltering Arms presence on Twitter.

EndGame PR has partnered with Sheltering Arms on a variety of traditional public relations projects, beginning in the fall of 2007. Previous projects primarily involved strategic media relations.

About Sheltering Arms
Sheltering Arms helps patients find the Power to Overcome the obstacles of illness and injury with a complete range of physical rehabilitation and wellness services. To learn more about Sheltering Arms’ two hospitals and seven outpatient clinics, visit www.ShelteringArms.com, or call 1-877-56-REHAB.

About EndGame Public Relations, LLC
EndGame Public Relations, LLC is a Social Media PR firm based in Richmond, Virginia that works to promote clients through a mix of traditional and new tactics, including media relations, crisis communications, social media strategy, blogging, web design, and corporate podcasts and web videos. For more information on EndGame PR, please visit http://www.endgamepr.com/.

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