Be An Angel: Anna’s Angels Gala Celebrates Life

Michelle Pfeiffer knows that angels walk among us. You can be one of them.

Pfeiffer and her husband, Andrew Merrills, are co-founders of Anna’s Angels, a nonprofit organization that funds grants to support Down syndrome research at Duke University Medical Center. The foundation is named in honor of their daughter, Anna, age 8, who was diagnosed
with Down syndrome at birth.

The family has seen firsthand the giving spirit of the Cary community to the foundation’s
mission.

“We have such a strong local following,” Pfeiffer said. “Anna is part of this community,
and Duke is right here. So many people can identify with somebody who has Down syndrome, and through Anna’s Angels they can get involved. It’s a small, grassroots effort,
and they can know where their money is going.”

Read the full article (.pdf) in Cary Magazine, January/February 2010

Anna’s Angels Inspires Hope, Research for Down Syndrome

About 200 Caryites enjoyed an evening of dinner and dancing while supporting Down syndrome and leukemia research at the Sixth Annual Anna’s Angels Gala on April 18 at Prestonwood Country Club’s grand ballroom. A silent and live auction, hosted by news anchor Steve Daniels, of ABC 11 Eyewitness News, helped raise $93,000 for the cause and Duke Children’s Hospital.

Anna’s Angels was founded in 2003 by Michelle Pfeiffer and Andy Merrills when their 8-year-old daughter, Anna, who has Down syndrome, was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 18 months.

Dr. Joseph St. Geme, chairman of pediatrics at Duke Children’s Hospital, and Jill Hinton Keel, a psychologist and developmental disability consultant, spoke at the event in support of Down syndrome awareness and research. “We could not pursue our endeavors without the help of Anna’s Angels,” St. Geme stated at the gala.

Read the full article (.pdf) in Cary Magazine, May/June 2009

Duke’s Dr. St. Geme Speaks at Anna’s Angels Gala

Dr. Joseph St. Geme, chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Duke University Medical Center, will headline the Sixth Annual Anna’s Angels Gala this April at Prestonwood Country Club.

“He’s been a wonderful advocate for Anna’s Angels,” said Michelle Pfeiffer, director and co-founder of Anna’s Angels.

Pfeiffer is mother to 7-year-old Anna, who was born with Down syndrome. Pfeiffer and her husband created Anna’s Angels, The Anna Michelle Merrills Foundation for Down Syndrome Research, in 2003. The organization provides funds to promote research of Down syndrome. They awarded their first research grants in 2005 and continue to award grants on an annualbasis. A scientific advisory panel of four leading physicians from Duke University Medical Center as well as both Pfeiffer and her husband review grant applications.

Read the full article (.pdf) in Cary Magazine, March/April 2009

Martha Beck Speaks at Fifth Annual Anna's Angels Gala

The Anna’s Angels Gala to support Down syndrome research is back for its fifth — and possibly most exciting — year. Organizers have secured noteworthy life coach Martha Beck, PhD, a best-selling new York Times author, regular guest on “The Oprah Winfrey show” and “good Morning America,” and columnist for O The Oprah Magazine, as a special guest speaker at the April 19 event to be held at Prestonwood Country Club.

“Martha Beck is not only a well-known life coach and author, but she is also the mother of a son with Down syndrome,” said Michelle Pfeiffer, founder of Anna’s Angels. “her book, ‘expecting Adam: A True story of Birth, Rebirth and everyday Magic,’ chronicles her experience with her son, so we share a common bond to bring more understanding and support to children like our own. I am thrilled she chose to support Anna’s Angels.”

Read the full article (.pdf) in Cary Magazine, March/April 2008

Heavenly Goodness Cookbook: Tasty Recipes Compiled to Raise Funds for Anna's Angels Foundation

Anna's Angels Foundation friend and supporter Lysa Stylski had always wanted to combine her love of cooking and entertaining to create a cookbook. After testing samples of dishes with friends and family, her recipes got everyone's stamp of approval. Stylski said her secret is not so much the recipe, but the cook. "You have to put a little love into it," she said. The newly released cookbook, titled "Heavenly Goodness," is on sale for $25 at Ivy Cottage Collections, and funds from the sales will benefit Cary-based Anna's Angels Foundation for Down syndrome research. For Stylski and the foundation, it is a wonderful way to share their love of cooking and helping others through the foundation's cutting-edge research and partnership with Duke Children's Hospital.

Read the full article (.pdf) in Cary Magazine, May/June 2007

Caryites Run For A Good Cause

To kick off Down syndrome awareness month in October, the Second Annual Anna’s Angels 10 Miler and 5k Road Race presented by Raleigh Running Outfi tters will be held on Oct. 7 at 8 a.m. in front of the Sheraton Imperial on Slater Drive in RTP. Anna’s Angels Foundation works in partnership with Duke Children’s Hospital and Health Center to raise funds for Down syndrome research conducted at Duke.

Read the full article (.pdf) in Cary Magazine, Sept/Oct 2007

Anna’s Angels Soar High

The Fourth Annual Anna’s Angels Gala, held on April 21 at Prestonwood Country Club’s grand ballroom, was a huge success for the Cary-based foundation dedicated to promoting Down syndrome-related research. The signature event raised $90,000, which will help to fund research grants at Duke Children’s Hospital. Party-goers enjoyed dinner, dancing to the music of Funk Daddies and silent and live auction action with ABC 11 Anchor Steve Daniels.

Read the full article (.pdf) in Cary Magazine, July/August 2007

Anna’s Angels Embarks on Fourth Year of Fundraising, Funding Down Syndrome Research

To date, the foundation has funded research into issues surrounding congenital heart disease, the development of a critical new iron deficiency test and a potential drug treatment commonly used for Alzheimer’s patients that could benefi t people with Down syndrome. The foundation has also funded the development of a national Down syndrome registry database so that doctors and researchers can better share data.

Read the full article (.pdf) in Cary Magazine, March/April 2007

Anna's Angels Gala and Tennis Tournament Raises $80,000 for Down syndrome Research

The Third Annual Anna’s Angels Gala, held on April 29 at Prestonwood Country Club, was its usual success — drawing 250 party-goers for a fun night of dinner, dancing and a silent and live auction. This year, however, the generous crowd, donors and the addition of a tennis tournament earlier in the day helped the organization raise $80,000 for Down syndrome and leukemia research — double what was raised last year.

Read the full article (.pdf) in Cary Magazine, July/August 2006

A Powerful Run for an Angel

"As success in raising funds came, so did the realization
that we could do so much more."
— Michelle Pfeiffer, co-Founder/Director,
Anna's Angels Foundation

Read the full article in Endurance Magazine, Sept 2006

Compassionate Kids: Nurturing A Passion for Compassion in Children

"There are ways to teach children other than using the lecture approach. Get them involved in things they like, something representative of them that will pull them in and teach them."
— Michelle Pfeiffer, Anna’s Angels co-founder/director

Read the full article in Cary Living magazine, May/June 2006

Anna's Angels: Giving Wings to Down Syndrome Research

When Anna Merrills was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) at the age of 16 months, her family was told that having Down syndrome much improved Anna’s prospects for recovery. While children with Down syndrome have a greater risk of developing AML, they also respond to treatment better than other children with AML, and their survival rates are as high as 85 percent, compared with 50 to 55 percent for other children. No one knows why.

Read more in Duke Children’s Hospital and Health Center May 2006 Spring Newsletter (.pdf file)

Cary Organization Spearheads National Medical Research

Anna's Angels Foundation funds important studies in Iron Deficiency Anemia, Alzheimer's Disease, Cardiac Defects, and the National Down Syndrome Registry.

Read more in Cary Magazine (.pdf file): March/April 2006

On April 2nd 2005 we had our 2nd annual Anna’s Angels Gala and raised over $42,000! We are now in our 2nd annual grant application process and will be funding new research shortly.  
 
Read about Anna's Angels gala in Cary Magazine (.pdf files):
March/April 2005
July/August 2005.

Anna’s Angels Foundation launches Web Site to Support Down Syndrome research

RALEIGH – Thanks to a new web site recently launched by the Anna’s Angels Foundation, people who wish to support research for Down Syndrome can do so with the click of a mouse.

READ FULL STORY HERE. January 2005

On April 30th, 2004 we had our first black tie Gala sponsored by The Raleigh Jaycees. The event was a great success that raised approximately $17,000.

Read about the Anna's Angels Gala in the July 2004 issue of Cary Magazine.
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