What is the Morgellons Research Foundation?

It is hard to imagine what life is like for the average Morgellons Disease sufferer. These individuals must live life everyday with not only unattractive skin filled with blisters, scars and pustules but also feel strange sensations of being infested with bugs or parasites. When they go to the doctor many of them are told it is all in their heads, despite many of them having no history of mental illness. Truly, the Morgellons Disease sufferer has become forgotten in the medical community. Things might begin to change as one research foundation seeks to help these individuals attain healthier skin. This organization is called the Morgellons Research Foundation.

The Morgellons Research Foundation was started in 2002 by Mary Leitao, who actually came up with the term 'Morgellons.' She first discovered the condition when she noticed rashes on her 2-year-old son. Doctors, thinking the problem was Scabies, prescribed a variety of medications but none of them worked. Things worsened when Mary's son started producing what is classic to Morgellon's Disease: fibrous substances. Alarmed, Mary pulled the fibers off of her son's skin and started investigating them under a microscope. She does not get a clear picture of what these fibers actually are.

Trying to get more answers, Mary turns to the Internet. After reading other people's stories, Mary determines that her son did indeed have something that was not typical of existing skin conditions. She termed the disease 'Morgellons', which means black hair in French, (which is appropriate since the fibers do have a hair-like appearance), and begun her own crusade in trying to find a cure. The result would be the Morgellons Research Foundation.

The Morgellons Research Foundation, (being non-profit in nature), works with Morgellons Disease sufferers, doctors, nurses and medical researchers in trying to figure out what Morgellons Disease actually is. The Morgellons Research Foundation became popular enough to warrant media attention as it was featured in various news broadcasts during May 2006. Through these news broadcasts, the general public finally became aware of Morgellons Disease. More coverage of the Morgellons Research Foundation needs to be done, however, since the organization's progress has been limited by lack of funds. For example, in 2004 the amount of funds generated throughout the year for the organization was a measly $318. Money like this cannot do anything for research, which is why it is very important for people to make contributions. This can be done through the Morgellons Research Foundation website at Morgellons.org.

In conclusion, there is only one research organization that is paving the way for obtaining more information regarding Morgellons Disease: the Morgellons Research Foundation. This organization shows that even the most 'average' of people can make a profound difference in the world of medicine. Indeed, Mary Leitao has provided quite a service to the Morgellons Disease sufferer; now the responsibility of continuing that service lies in the hands of the public. Why? It is because without actually knowing what Morgellons is, anyone can become affected. By contributing to the Morgellons Research Foundation not only do thousands of Morgellons Disease suffers get the hope of relief, but those that are healthy may get an innovative vaccine that may prevent them from getting the disease as well.