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The annual meeting of the Board of the Friends of José Carreras International Leukemia Foundation is always a pleasant affair. The meeting in Seattle in our office on September 19 was no exception. We had a full agenda but we also had time to visit with friends we had not seen for some time. I was surprised with a chocolate cake to celebrate (depending on how you feel about hitting 78!) my birthday the day before.

However, I had some very mixed emotions as Don and I discussed our plans to resign from the Friends’ board (see story on page one). It has been a tremendous source of pleasure for me over the past ten years to work for such a worthy cause. I have especially enjoyed the opportunity to know Mr. Carreras, whom I finally started calling José, both as a gifted singer and as a great humanitarian. I also have met in person or as a close “pen pal” so many of you who have supported the Friends. With your help the Friends has been able to fund over $850,000 in fellowships. Many of these awardees are already making major contributions to research and providing excellent medical care in hospitals throughout the world.

We do not plan to disappear by any means. We will work with the Storbs throughout this year to insure a smooth transition period. Besides, as any of you who know me at all will understand, I am not likely to let go easily. (Just ask my children.) We will maintain our office here at the Hutchinson Center and hopefully can still provide some useful advice now and then.

Dottie Thomas is Treasurer of the Friends’ Board.