National Psoriasis Foundation mourns the passing of its founder, Beverly Foster Halprin
A small newspaper ad led to help for millions
Portland, Ore., Nov. 21, 2003 -- Beverly Foster Halprin, who founded the National Psoriasis Foundation in 1968, died in Salem, Ore. on Wednesday, November 19. She was 67.
"Beverly's life shows how each of us can leave a lasting, positive imprint on the world," said Gail Zimmerman, president and CEO of the National Psoriasis Foundation. "What she set in motion, beginning in the 1960s, continues to benefit millions of psoriasis patients. She will be sorely missed."
On Aug. 29, 1966, Beverly's 30th birthday, her husband placed a tiny classified advertisement in a Portland newspaper, asking people with psoriasis to call Beverly—who had a severe case of the disease—so she would have somebody to talk to who understood what she was going through.
Beverly received more than 100 phone calls the first week. The following year, the Psoriasis Society of Oregon was founded, and then in 1968, the National Psoriasis Foundation received its charter. Beverly and a group of dedicated volunteers, including a handful of physicians and researchers, got the Psoriasis Foundation off the ground and headed in the right direction.
"Beverly saw how poorly understood psoriasis was, and how difficult it could be to live with," Zimmerman said. "Research and education were the twin priorities at that time, and they continue as driving forces in our work. Beverly became a close friend, and I know she was gratified that the organization she founded helped facilitate the recent discovery of three psoriasis genes."
Today, the Psoriasis Foundation has more than 40,000 contributing members; works closely with leading physicians and scientists studying psoriasis both in the United States and abroad; and through its web site and 1-800 telephone call center, annually serves hundreds of thousands of people with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.
"That little advertisement for Beverly's 30th birthday turned into a gift for millions of Americans," Zimmerman said. "We will always be guided by the passion of Beverly Foster Halprin. Our thoughts and prayers are with her children and grandchildren during this difficult time."
About Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a lifelong skin disease that occurs when faulty signals in the immune system cause skin cells to regenerate too quickly-every three to four days instead of the usual 30-day cycle. Extra skin cells build up on the skin's surface, forming red, flaky, scaly lesions that can itch, crack, bleed and be extremely painful. Psoriasis generally appears on the joints, limbs and scalp but it can appear anywhere on the body, covering some people from head to toe. More than 5 million Americans have been diagnosed with psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis, a degenerative disease of the joints and connective tissues associated with psoriasis. Psoriasis typically first strikes people between the ages of 15 and 35, but can affect anyone at any age, including children.
About the National Psoriasis Foundation
The National Psoriasis Foundation is the leading nonprofit organization fighting to improve the quality of life of the more than 5 million Americans diagnosed with psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis and their families. Sustained by annual contributions from nearly 50,000 members as well as corporate and foundation grants, its mission is to educate people about these diseases and their treatments, raise public awareness, and support ongoing research. The organization is headquartered in Portland, Ore. For more information, please call the Psoriasis Foundation at 800.723.9166 or visit http://www.psoriasis.org.
Media inquiries:
Marketing and Communications Department
National Psoriasis Foundation
503.244.7404, ext. 413
pfasano@psoriasis.org
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