Month: April 2021

COVID-19 Vaccine Resources

Posted on by Delores Selivon

The OI Foundation is making every effort to provide the most up to date information about the COVID-19 pandemic for the OI community. Results from the OIF’s second COVID-19 Survey  found that 81% of those not yet vaccinated say they will definitely or likely get the vaccine once available to them. We would like to encourage you to check out the  Vaccine Finder below to assist with searching for vaccines in your area. The Vaccine Finder is a resource operated by Boston Children’s Hospital and supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the United States Digital Service. Resources like the Vaccine Finder are one of many included in the OIF’s COVID-19 Tookit.  If you have questions about COVID-19 and OI, please contact the OIF at bonelink@oif.org.

The Results Are In!

Posted on by Delores Selivon

Tremendous thanks to the 649 community members who completed the OIF’s second COVID-19 survey. Our COVID-19 surveys are essential to tracking how the pandemic is impacting the OI community. To read the full survey results report published in the the OIF’s Breakthrough newsletter, please click here.

Please watch out for survey number 3! To complete future surveys about OI, we highly encourage you to sign up for the OI Registry at www.oif.org/OIregistry to be the first to hear about these opportunities. For questions, contact the OIF via email: bonelink@oif.org or telephone: 301-947-0083.

To read the full survey results report published in the the OIF’s Breakthrough newsletter, please click here.

   

Reminder – Stay Active!
The OI Foundation’s second COVID-19 Survey found that 61% of respondents are less physically active now than they were before the pandemic started. It is our goal to provide community members with resources to stay healthy during this time. We encourage you to check out the following informational resources on physical activity:

To read the full survey results report published in the the OIF’s Breakthrough newsletter, please click here.

Our Commitment to the OI Community

Posted on by Delores Selivon

In July 2020, the OI Foundation released a statement affirming our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at the OI Foundation. We realize change starts with us and we are conducting an internal review of our programs and services to determine how we can be more inclusive as a Foundation in order to support the entire OI community.

We are proud to partner with diversity, equity and inclusion professional (and OI community member!), Chaz Kellem.

“In the past year, the OIF board of directors and staff took a long, hard look at our programs and how we’re engaging all members of the OI community. That exploration led us to Chaz Kellem. As an OI community member, Chaz not only has an intimate understanding of the OIF’s mission, but he’s also an expert in developing and sustaining engagement efforts at the local, regional and national levels, across diverse constituencies. We know Chaz’s people-first approach will identify and address opportunities within the OIF, so we can better drive transparency, understanding and accountability.”
– CAMERON PENN, OIF Board President

Chaz has ten years of experience as a diversity, equity, and inclusion professional. He currently serves as the Director of PittServes, a program that provides University of Pittsburgh students the opportunity to engage in ethical and sustainable service to the community on a local, national and international scale. Chaz is active and committed to the community, as he serves on several non-profit boards including ACHIEVA, Best Buddies PA and Miracle League of Moon.

“It is such an honor to work with the Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation as we explore diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives within the organization. The team is putting in hard work to assure our programs and services are accessible and available for the entire OI community.”
– CHAZ KELLEM

The OI Foundation is thrilled to have Chaz on our team as we continue our work to support the entire OI community.

OIF Breakthrough Newsletter: Spring 2021

Posted on by Delores Selivon

OIF Breakthrough Newsletter: Spring 2021

Have you had a chance to read the latest issue of Breakthrough? The most recent newsletter features important updates from the OI Foundation including:

  • National OI Awareness Week
  • OIF Virtual Conference 2021
  • COVID-19 Resources and Survey Results
  • Programs for Medical Professionals
  • Current Research
  • OIF Information Center Updates

Click here to read this issue of Breakthrough!

Kick off OI Awareness Week by attending a Virtual Bone China Tea Party!

Posted on by Delores Selivon

On Saturday, May 1st kick off National OI Awareness Week by joining the OI Foundation and Bone China Tea Chair Susie Wilson for a Virtual Bone China Tea Party! Attendees will learn about OI, hear from members of the OI community, participate in live raffles, play games, and compete for best teacup! What is Bone China Tea? Bone China Tea is a year-round fundraising campaign dedicated to raising awareness and supporting research efforts for osteogenesis imperfecta. Invite your friends and family to enjoy a relaxing cup of tea at home while supporting the OI Foundation.

To register for the virtual tea party or learn more about Bone China Tea, visit https://oif.org/event/virtualbonechinateaparty. Questions? Contact Christina at cteurfert@oif.org