SUCCESS! Our foundation hosted its inaugural event August 12, 2021, and I am happy to announce that it was everything we had hoped for. Our goal was to host an intimate dinner with friends and family to share with them how we plan to succeed in our mission to cure Schizophrenia. To do this we wanted to help them gain a deeper understanding of what Lauren’s diagnosis was like, what Schizophrenia really is, and how AI is being used in to collect and analyze data in the healthcare setting. It was wonderful to be able to connect with our guests, share memories, hear about how severe mental illness has impacted some of their lives, and to be able to listen and respond to their questions.
We chose to host our event at historic hotel, The DeerPath Inn in Lake Forest, IL with sentimentality in mind. This hotel holds a strong connection for our family, not only did I work there for many years, but our sibling Nikki, our mother Anna, and Lauren herself all worked there through the years. This was a place where Lauren grew as a person, where she made strong friendships, and where she fell in love. It holds a special place in our heart and the staff and friends we have at the hotel worked hard to make it a beautiful and memorable event.
SPECIAL THANKS to our speakers, Founder Michael LeVert, Forensic Psychiatrist Dr. Carl Wahlstrom, and Director of Development at Primer.AI Barry Dauber. Michael gave a heartfelt glimpse into our family’s personal journey with Schizophrenia. As difficult and emotional as speaking about her illness is he felt that it was vital to share and impress upon our supporters what it will mean to real individuals and families to find a cure for Schizophrenia. Lauren’s journey through this illness is one we all walked with her, it is one that damaged us, molded us, and eventually gave us a renewed purpose to cure this illness. We know that Lauren is smiling down on us as we ambitiously venture forth. When we succeed, it will be because she lit the way.
Dr. Wahlstrom has studied and treated patients with mental illness for over 30 years. His expert opinion is frequently sought as testimony during trials – including that of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. It was an honor to have him speak at our event, and an even bigger honor to have his expertise and care for Lauren during her illness. Dr. Wahlstrom spoke compellingly about the challenges patients with a Schizophrenia diagnosis face – the symptoms, challenges to getting treatment and maintaining a treatment plan. The expectancy for recovery, and the harsh reality that many Schizophrenia patients face. To learn more about his practice please click here
Making a strong connection with Primer.AI has been a wonderful gift for the foundation, and we are so grateful to Rich Dumelle with Primer for attending our event to help answer questions and for arranging to have VP of Business Development Barry Dauber join us on Zoom to speak to our guests. Barry did an amazing job explaining Artificial Intelligence to those of us (like me) who may have trouble understanding technology even though it is an integral part of our daily lives. The practical applications A.I. offers can have a substantial impact on the work we are doing here at the foundation, and we are excited to see how collaborating with Primer A.I. will propel our mission forward. To learn more about Primer A.I. please click here
The full speeches can be found here – we encourage you to watch, learn and to send us any questions you may have at info@lmlf2cs.org
We want to extend our sincere gratitude to all who showed up for our first event! The support and love you have all shown for us, this Foundation, and most importantly, our Mission is a rare gift, and not one we take for granted. We were all thoroughly pleased with the level of engagement during the speakers Q&A sessions; you all had thoughtful questions that spurred the conversation on and truly showed that you care about the effects this disease has on patients and families and that you are as invested as we are in using technology in conjunction with medical experts to find a cure.
I’ll close this post with our CALL TO ACTION! We need you to be an ambassador for our mission. What does that mean? It means taking action in support of our cause
· Share our posts on your own social media!
· Sign up to become a matching donor for our Giving Tuesday campaign
· Host or Sponsor an event (email co@lmlf2cs.org for more info)
· Help us Network
· Volunteer your time or special skillset
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