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Tony Viola has been involved with CAf for many years and looks forward to helping the Foundation continue to grow and find new ways to meet the needs of its population. by Craig Butler |
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April 26, 2008 - Anthony J. Viola became the new President of CAF on April 26. CAF spoke with him briefly about his plans for the future.
How do you feel about becoming CAF President? I feel extremely honored to become President of such a distinguished organization. Although CAF does not possess the financial resources of some bigger foundations, the impact CAF has had on providing patients with the best possible care and the best possible means for an eventual cure cannot be overstated. I also feel extremely honored to follow our dedicated past presidents, especially Frank Somma, who went above and beyond by serving this position for almost 10 years. Can you tell our readers a little about your past involvement with CAF? My original involvement in the Foundation was due to my cousins, Nunzio and Ralph Cazzetta, both of whom have passed on, succumbing to complications relating to Cooley's anemia. While I was aware of their sicknesses as a child, I did not fully understand their difficulties in living with Cooley's anemia until I became an adult. Over time, my participation grew as I volunteered for more activities in support of CAF. I eventually became a member of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee. In 2004, I became National Vice President, stepping up my participation upon the passing of my cousin Ralph, who I was extremely close to and who I admired tremendously. My participation in the Foundation initially related to my cousins' illnesses but now is driven by my desire to try and make a difference in helping patients live long and normal lives, while seeking an eventual cure. What are some of the things you’re most looking forward to as President? I look forward to working with the other dedicated volunteers of the organization, along with our medical and legislative advocates, to try and make our patients' lives more comfortable with the best possible care, while seeking a cure. Since I have a background as an accountant, I am determined to continue to create a strong financial infrastructure to allow CAF to provide our patients with the best affordable care and to fund invaluable research. What are some of the goals you want CAF to accomplish while you are President? Every President's goal is to find a cure for this horrible disease, but I believe that we as an organization need to set short term and long term goals. My short term goals include the establishment of a fundraising plan that will benefit CAF for years to come. For too long, the bulk of fundraising dollars have come from a small percentage of CAF's base. We need to expand our volunteer fundraising base and to explore alternative areas of support that will alleviate this reliance on such a small group. We also need to develop a plan of succession for long time volunteers that are no longer able to fully participate as they have for many years by expanding the volunteer base to include younger members that may have business backgrounds. This would be helpful in operating CAF efficiently for years to come. My long term goals include the continuous funding of the best research to not only find a cure, but to continuously explore whether our patients are benefiting from the most effective drugs available and to identify the most pressing issues for patients as they live longer and healthier lives. I am dedicated to keeping CAF in a position to most effectively see to the needs of the community. I promise that I will do whatever it takes to accomplish the goals of CAF in caring for our patients. |
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| Cooley's Anemia Foundation, Inc. TEL: 800 522-7222 FAX: 212 279-5999 info@cooleysanemia.org | ||||||
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