We Have a Challenge!

Hi all,

Similar to the popular ALS Ice Bucket Challenge that's been everywhere for the last few months, CVID and Primary Immune (PI) patients now have a challenge. Ours is called Pie for PI. If you want to participate, please make a video of yourself getting a pie in the face and challenge others to participate within 24 hours. Please be sure to mention in your video (or in comments) that donations can be made to the Immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF) or the Jeffrey Modell Foundation. For more information on the challenge, please visit the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/PieforPI

Thanks for spreading awareness!

New CVID Awareness Website and YouTube Video

A friend with CVID has been feeling inspired to spread CVID awareness, and for that reason has recently created the website, cvidawareness.org. The website is still being created but is available right now and already very informative. It will be a huge asset in educating people about CVID and Primary Immune Diseases. Please visit the website and learn all you can for yourself or your loved ones with Primary Immune Diseases.

In addition, he made a YouTube video that shows him creating the website. Please check it out!

Results of New Research: We May be Able to Enhance the Immune System!

There seems to be a lot of research being done on the immune system these days, and that's good news for all of us! In fact, I just read an article tonight that researchers have discovered that the Killer T-cells of a person's immune system can be enhanced to fight infections. That may not directly help those of us with CVID, since our deficiency is usually in the B-cells, but it's still exciting for two reasons:

1. They are researching the immune system and some of that research will benefit those of us with CVID (Read: We are not forgotten!)
2. They are finding ways to improve the overall immune system

The study built on a theory from the former director of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (an Australian medical research facility), Sir Macfarlane Burnet, an Australian Nobel Prize Laureate. Apparently, he came up with the theory 55 years ago. The following quote is an excerpt from the article in The Vaccine News Daily:

"The team discovered the IRF4, an important protein activated in the killer T-cells, could be produced at different levels depending on how well the killer T-cells recognized infected cells. The researchers discovered that enhancing the levels of IRF4 could help to boost killer T-cells effectiveness in fight infections and other diseases." (From article: Enhancing Immune System May be Possible by Emma Rogers)

While it may come across as pandering for me to it here, I find the following handout from the Immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF) to explain the various cells of the immune system in a clear way that's actually kind of fun to read: Our Immune System.