Team Daniel

An Invitation to Run with the Laitman Family

This past Friday 10/26/12 Ann and I had the opportunity to attend the annual Brain and Behavior Research Foundation's award ceremony. I must admit I enjoyed myself completely. However I found the experience sobering and both my wife and I came away a bit dumbfounded. The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation is truly an impressive institution and has raised over $300,000,000 for mental health research over its 25 years existence. During this time span there have been 50,000 contributors. All this sounds rather magnificent until you put these numbers into perspective. The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation is presently the largest foundation that privately funds research for schizophrenia, depression, bipolar illness and autism research. The largest single source of revenue remains the National Institute of Mental Health. Its 2013 budget is for $1.479 Billion. The unfortunate thing is that the budget 10 years ago was $1.390 Billion, so in real dollars research money is seriously drying up. During this time of fiscal restraint one thing that has become a boom industry has been the building of new jails. In Florida alone we learned from Judge Leifman, the chair of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida's Mental Health Committee, that they will be spending in Florida alone $ 5.0 Billion to build jails that will house mostly seriously mentally ill inmates. In jail these mostly low-level offenders usually get no treatment or the least expensive medicine such as haldol so that they are not disruptive. Other interesting facts that leave me flummoxed are that there are over 11 million people in the USA trying to live with serious mental illness. Major Mental disorders in the USA (Schizophrenia, Bipolar Illness, Major Depression, Autism, PTSD) are the leading cause for disability and premature death. Suicide kills 36,000 people in the USA which is twice the homicide rate. These illnesses when they do get treatment, which unfortunately they often do not, are the third most expensive healthcare expenditure only being surpassed by heart disease and trauma. NIMH conservatively estimates that the yearly direct and indirect costs to the USA is $300 Billion.

I just don't get it. There is a cognitive disconnect here. Is it the stigma, or as one of the researchers told me Mental Health Research is just not sexy. Well whatever the reason, it is a national disgrace how little we devote to help our seriously mentally ill. We need a serious Grass Roots effort to affect a change. This year the entire Laitman family, even Ann, will be running in the Disney World 1/2 Marathon. I will of course be also run the full marathon. Once again we will be running as TEAM DANIEL and once again we are asking for your support to raise money for the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation. It really is time that we all did our part. Daniel is doing great and so is the rest of my family. Again I am so appreciative of all of the help that we have received. I am committed, so to speak, to making things right. Ann and I have decided to give another $5000 to The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation to start this new round of fundraising. I thank you in advance for your generosity.

All contributions go directly 100% for mental health research. All contributions are tax deductible.

There really is no sane reason not to give. To donate go to bbrfoundation.org/events/teamdaniel. We all really Thank YOU Rob Laitman, Ann Laitman, Daniel Laitman, Rachel Laitman, Hannah Laitman and Abigail Laitman  Ps If anyone you know is affected by serious mental illness and you need to talk you can contact either Ann or I at rslaitman@aol.com or anncmadel@aol.com, or call me at 914-629-5130 or Ann 914-841-2095. Finally see below for the link to the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation video...

Consider the experience you will have and the people you will meet…
Consider the improvement to your health and what great shape you’ll be in…
Consider that you will be helping 1 in 4 Americans living with a mental illness!

Sincerely,

Dr. Robert Laitman and the members of Team Daniel

Read the Laitmans' Letter to the Editor of the NY Times

Learn more about Clozapine

Learn more about the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation:

Upcoming Schedule of Races

Completed Races:
Disney Half-Marathon, Orlando Florida at 6:00am on January 7, 2012
Disney Full Marathon, Orlando Florida at 6:00am on January 8, 2012

Confirmed marathons:
Boston Marathon, April 2012
New Jersey Marathon, May 2012
New York Marathon, November 2012
Disney Half-Marathon, Orlando Florida, January 2013
Disney Full Marathon, Orlando Florida, January 2013
 

We are in the lottery for:
Chicago, Illinois
St. George, Utah

Overseas you may see us at:
Comrades 56 mile race in South Africa

For more information about joining Team Daniel please email my wife Ann at anncmandel@aol.com or me at rslaitman@aol.com.

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