2024
Cure NF with Jack: Fund-a-Cure to #EndNF
We are grateful to be the recipients of support from Cure NF with Jack, which is working to raise $50,000 by the end of 2024 to fund a post-doctoral researcher in our lab. Cure NF with Jack is a nonprofit corporation co-founded by Jack Burke, Jake Burke, and Beth O’Brien, whose mission is to find an effective treatment or cure for individuals battling neurofibromatosis through the funding of research. They are committed to accelerating medical research, driving community action, and raising funds to end NF, and hope that creating awareness, bringing people together, and supporting the medical community in its research endeavors will lead to the day that NF no longer exists. If you would like to donate to their goal, you can do so here.
September 2024: Shining a Light on NF1 Gala
Dr. Jim Walker was one of the guest speakers at The Joanna Ruth Bell Foundation Inaugural Gala “Shining A Light on NF1” held at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, UK. The JRBF is a registered non-profit in both the US and UK. Learn more at joannaruthbellfoundation.org
May 4th: Steps2Cure NF Walk
The 16th annual Steps2Cure NF – Greater Boston walk/run 5k hosted by NF Northeast will be held at Lake Quannapowitt in Wakefield, MA on Saturday, May 4th. Registration will begin at 9am, and the walk/run will start at 10am—the course will begin and end near the gazebo. Participants can choose between a leisurely 3 mile walk around the lake or running a timed 5K, followed by snacks/refreshments and raffle items.
Update: Walker’s Walkers made their return to the NF Walk in the form of Ph.D. Candidate Francisco Fernandez and Research Technician Suraj Math. It was a beautiful day to raise funds and awareness for NF!
2023
November 6th: 2023 Great Jacksby Golf Tournament
The 11th Annual Golf Tourney to benefit Cure NF with Jack will take place November 6th, 2023 at White Columns Golf Course in Milton, Georgia. Both individual and foursome golfer registrations are available. To learn more and register, click here.
September 9th: Coast to the Cure
The 12th Annual Coast to the Cure ride to benefit NF Northeast will take place on Saturday, September 9th, 2023 at Stage Fort Park in Gloucester, MA. Participants will have the option to choose from 24, 40, or 66 mile courses. Day of registration opens at 6:30 am and staggered starts will begin at 7:00 am. To learn more and sign up, click here.
August 1st: Shine A Light NF Walk New England−Virtual
The Children’s Tumor Foundation is hosting a virtual walk and fundraising event to raise awareness and help end NF. Neurofibromatosis, or NF, affects millions of people worldwide, but few have heard of it and there currently is no cure. The Shine a Light NF Walk brings NF out of the shadows, raising awareness and funding research to help better the lives of those living with NF. The Walker lab will be creating a team and participating this year under the team name Walker’s Walkers. To join our team, donate, or create your own, register at shinealightwalk.org/newengland2023.
June 12th: 37th Annual Golf Tournament to Benefit NF Northeast
The Grand Finale celebration of the 37th Annual Golf Tournament to benefit NF Northeast took place on Monday, June 12th at Ferncroft Country Club in Middleton, MA. Dr. James Walker, head of the Walker Lab, and Ph.D. candidate Francisco Fernandez were in attendance to speak about the work the Walker lab is doing to help #EndNF and demonstrate how the support from NF Northeast has impacted these efforts.
May 17th: World NF Day LIVE
The Children’s Tumor Foundation is celebrating World NF Day on May 17th by live streaming the world premiere of CTF’s new two-part short documentary at their World NF Awareness Day Live Blue & Green Watch Party! You can check on their website for a local watch party, host your own, or stream the watch party from your own home! And don’t forget to wear your blue and green as a reminder to #EndNF.
May 13th: Steps2Cure NF Walk
The 15th Annual Steps2Cure NF Walk took place Saturday May 13th at Lake Quannapowitt in Wakefield, MA! To learn more and see the results, please visit: https://secure.qgiv.com/event/steps2curewakefield2023/.
May: NF Awareness Month
May is NF Awareness Month, a time when those affected by NF1, NF2, and Schwannomatosis work to bring awareness to the public. More information about NF Awareness Month can be found through the Children’s Tumor Foundation here. As part of NF Awareness Month, CTF has launched their annual Shine a Light campaign to help bring NF out of the darkness. You can learn more about this endeavor below:
April 29th: NF Family Symposium at Massachusetts General Hospital
The NF Family Symposium at Massachusetts General Hospital will take place on April 29th 2023, and the Walker Lab will be participating. To participate, please see below and register here: https://2023symposiumnf.eventbrite.com/
NF Tuesday Takeaway Educational Series 2023
Dr. Jim Walker will be speaking as part of Tuesday Takeaways, a four-part lunch and learn speaker series beginning in February of 2023 hosted by NF Northeast! These one-hour educational lunch time sessions are geared towards learning about updates and relevant information for our NF community. Please join us for any or all of the following sessions taking place via Zoom the last Tuesday of the month February-May at 12pm EST. To register, click here.
February 16th: Neurofibromatosis Northeast – Lab Visit
The Walker Lab was pleased to host members of Neurofibromatosis Northeast in February for a research lab tour and Q&A about the work we are undertaking to help end NF. We were excited to share the different facets of the lab and connect with new and familiar faces in person! Check out some photos below! (Photos courtesy of Kristina Rath)
Overview of the Walker Lab
Stephanie explaining the overview
A look at the mutational landscape of NF1
NF1 Flies!
A Drosophila Microscope
Flies under the Microscope
Alex explaining the Drosophila behavior studies
Flies in the TriKinetics Tubes
Francisco and Jim during the Q&A
2022
July: NF Summit 2022 in Chicago
The NF Summit, organized by the Children’s Tumor Foundation (CTF), brings together volunteers, organizers and researchers, clinicians, patient advocates, friends, and supporters that have a connection to NF for a three-day symposium filled with education, empowerment, networking, and ways to connect with others on a similar journey. This year, the Walker and Saxena labs were represented at the NF Summit in Chicago by Dr. Stephanie Joy Bouley, who spoke about the Sleep studies we are actively recruiting for, and Anika Fernandez, who consented patients on site to participate! We are grateful for this opportunity and look forward to participating in future events. Learn more about the NF Summit and how to get involved here: https://www.ctf.org/events/nf-summit
May 22nd: Steps2Cure NF Walk/Run – Wakefield MA
The Steps2Cure NF Walk/Run is an annual walk hosted by Neurofibromatosis Northeast at Lake Quannapowitt in Wakefield, MA to raise money for NF research. If you’d like to join our team Walker’s Walkers or donate, you can do so here: https://secure.qgiv.com/event/wakefield/team/894834/
UPDATE: The Steps2Cure NF Walk/Run took place on Sunday May 22nd, 2022 where several members from the Walker and Saxena Lab were in attendance. In addition to completing the 5k on an abnormally hot day for the season, lab members were able to discuss their research with other participants. Check out some photos from the walk below!
May: NF Awareness Month
May is NF Awareness Month, a time when those affected by NF1, NF2, and Schwannomatosis work to bring awareness to the public. More information about NF Awareness Month can be found through the Children’s Tumor Foundation here.
March: Beacon Hill Seminars
Dr. Stephanie Joy Bouley gave a guest lecture as part of the “Emerging Biosciences – Straight from the Lab” Beacon Hill Seminar series. Her lecture focused on implementing novel gene editing strategies to treat Neurofibromatosis type 1.