First International Summit
CAMK2 Therapeutics Network hosted its first international summit on the gene disorder November 4 and 5, 2023, in Washington, D.C. Participants included seven scientists and physicians and the Network’s six-member parent board. For more information, see CAMK2’s Community Newsletter #4.
Back row, from left: Dr Howard Schulman, Dr. Ian Carroll, Nev Ross, Dr. Geeske van Woerden, Matt Gibbs. Front row, from left: Dr. Claudia Compagnucci, Dr. Danielle Veenma, Dr. Bonnie Dwyer, Sarah Pace, Dr. Kimberley Goodspeed and Dr. Margaret Stratton. Dr. Wei-Liang Chen also attended but is not pictured. Liat-Vaknin, Inês Bastos and Dr. Ronan Cohen attended virtually.
Oktoberfest Fundraiser and Auction
Ticket sales, raffles and a huge silent auction combined to raise $8,596 for CAMK2 Therapeutics Network in October 2023. The traditional Oktoberfest event, held in Derbyshire, UK, and attended by 200 guests, was organized by David and Jayne Burton in honor of their daughter, Evie.
The Jaeger Maestros band brought the full Bavarian feel to the evening that included catered fare, a selection of nine German beers and the culmination of a large silent auction, begun two weeks before the event. The successful bidders won holiday cottage breaks, sports memorabilia, admission to wine-tasting events and mine tours, comedy tour arena tickets, beauty treatments and more.
Guests watched a short homemade film that explained the work being done by the CAMK2 Therapeutics Network and how the condition affects the lives of Evie and others in the CAMK2 community.
LiciStrong Bags Fundraiser
Eliciana — Lici — Gonzales, 9, was diagnosed with a CAMK2B variation in 2017. At the time, she was the fourth person in the world known to have a CAMK2-related disorder.
Her parents, Amy and Jesse Gonzales, hosted a Bags Tournament at The Lanes on 20, a bowling alley in Mt. Pleasant, Wash. The June 24, 2023, event — with prizes for the top three bowling teams, 50/50 guessing games, and raffle baskets — raised $6,327 for CAMK2 Therapeutics Network.
Local TV station CBS 58 carried news of the fundraiser. https://cbs58.com/news/racine-family-to-hold-fundraiser-for-daughter-diagnosed-with-ultra-raredisorder
The Gonzales Family
Diwali Brunch Champagne Fundraiser
Fifty guests attended the November 13, 2022, event, which raised $8,100 for CAMK2 Therapeutics Network and was held at the Palo Alto, Calif. home of Dr. Bonnie Dwyer, network executive director, and her husband, Ian Carroll, M.D.
Stanford Health Care Clinical Assistant Professor Dr. Alpana Gowda, longtime friend of Dr. Dwyer, hosted the Diwali-themed fundraiser.
“Diwali is the most important Indian holiday,” Dr. Dwyer said. “It celebrates light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance — perfect concepts to represent our CAMK2 goals.”
Dr. Bonnie Dwyer, Dr. Ian Carroll and Dr. Alpana Gowda