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"Hi. I'm John Tacket. I'm 15 years old, and I have Progeria, as you can see, and I'm very excited to be here and it is an honor to be the youth ambassador for Progeria. This is a very exciting time for me and also for my friends because we know what the gene is that makes our disease show up in us. This is the first step and we're looking forward to the second step, a cure and treatment. But for now we just live our life . . . and do all the things kids do. No problem, I'm very content right now. Even though I have Progeria, some might think that I'd be down, but I'm not. This is great that the doctors are working and researching and I know they are working very hard. . . . This is a very exciting time."

- John Tackett at the Progeria gene discovery announcement at the National Press Club in Washington, DC on April 16, 2003.

Welcome to our Press Room! Thanks to the tremendous media outreach efforts by PRF and its pro bono public relations firm, Spectrum Science Communications of Washington, DC, we have gained many new supporters who have approached us after seeing stories of children with Progeria on TV or in newspapers and magazines. Countless others are moved after learning of the tremendous progress PRF is making through support of research studies published in leading medical and scientific journals worldwide.
 
We receive many media inquiries from journalists and producers who are interested in developing their own stories to raise awareness of Progeria. If you are a member of the media and you would like to discuss a story idea that will help raise awareness and educate others about Progeria, please contact:
 
SPECTRUM Science Communications
2000 K Street, NW, 2nd Floor
Washington, DC  20006
Main Phone: (202) 955-6222
Fax: (202) 955-0044
www.spectrumscience.com
 
Liza Morris
Vice President
(202) 955-6222, ext. 2524
lmorris@spectrumscience.com
 
Ashley Altieri
Senior Account Executive
(202) 587-2553
aaltieri@spectrumscience.com

The following press releases detail the wonderful progress being made in Progeria research, thanks to the driving efforts of The Progeria Research Foundation:
 
June 2006: Actors Mary Steenburgen and Ted Danson Join the Fight against Progeria with National Public Education Campaign:
click here to view PSAs
 
February 16, 2006: UCLA Finds Cancer Drug May Improve Progeria; Genetic Disease Causes Accelerated Aging in Children
 
August 29, 2005: Blocking a Premature Aging Syndrome with Anticancer Drugs
 
April 16, 2003: Identification of Gene Gives Hope to Children with Progeria; May Shed Light on Phenomenon of Aging
 
Click here to view PRF in the News, which highlights our top media coverage, including CNN, ABC Primetime, New York Times Magazine and more!