WELCOME TO OUR TEAM NORM HOMEPAGE!

September 2015:

Norm Weinberger is a PhD research professor and renowned scientist, in the field of Neurobiology and Behavior. He is a founding faculty member of UC Irvine, celebrating 50 years of the University and his department. He still runs an active research lab and continues to have research papers published. Norm’s professional career to date has contributed directly to advancing the world’s knowledge of the Brain and Behavior, with break-through discoveries!

  Norm is a lover of classical music, nature, (especially the Grand Tetons in Wyoming), and his culinary skills as top family chef and “Latke King”, were perfected long before anything like a “Food Network” ever existed.  He just turned 80 this past August. Married to his soulmate, Jacquie, for 61 years, father of 7 and grandfather of 4, he is best known to us Weinberger siblings as “Dad.”   A Father’s Day celebration for him could include waking up us kids for an early dawn ping pong tournament, along with a run back and forth through the sprinklers, all in our pajamas!   He especially embraces his family and IS our ROCK.

   In September 2014, the Weinberger way of life was suddenly and quite shockingly altered by cancer.  It has now been a year since our father was diagnosed with not one, but two forms of blood cancer:  An aggressive B cell (DLBCL) Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS).  Since his diagnosis, Norm has undergone various treatments, including 8 sessions of an aggressive “CHOP” chemotherapy designed to wipe out the lymphoma.  It didn’t provide the solution hoped for, and both the cancer and the chemo struck back hard.
   

   In the past year, Norm has been hospitalized at length, eight different times, overcoming very serious, indeed, life-threatening complications. He is currently on his third course of cancer therapy/treatments. Nearly every day brings any manner of outpatient cancer center visits, doctor appointments, tests, blood counts, frequent blood transfusions, immune-boosting infusions, and more, often with varying side effects.  Through all the ups and downs he still keeps his pride, his humor, and continues to still be involved in advising his family, his work, and his treatment.  He is a fighter and never gives up. But the battle is still a very difficult one, and the toll is a great one. We are always seeking better ways to help Norm, with improved results and fewer to no complicated side effects.   

    
   We need your help in finding the right cure. TEAM NORM is the way for us to do so. As a group of family and friends, we are dedicated to raising $100,000 to name an LLS research grant in honor of Norman Weinberger.

   There is promising research being done now and your donation will help fund treatments that improve patient care and saves lives every day; like immunotherapies that use a person’s own immune system to kill cancer. A targeted therapy does not currently exist for the specific genetic mutation of Norm’s subtype, but we are always looking for the best way to treat this. One of my Dad's medical consultants included a local specialist who is also an LLS funded researcher.  The answer could be in reach, and your much needed donations WILL help us fund that research grant!

TEAM NORM members are currently and/or will be training for Marathons, Half Marathons, Triathlons Cycle and Hike events with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s TEAM IN TRAINING (TNT) program. We do this to fundraise towards a cure AND bring increased awareness to our cause, because battling blood cancers is an endurance event like no other! 

  Your generous donation is tax deductible and will help support TEAM NORM, towards realizing our $100,000 grant. We also welcome you to join us by either becoming a member of our Fundraising Team, or  signing up with TNT for an endurance event, no previous experience necessary, and fundraise directly with TEAM NORM Family and Friends!  If you are thinking of doing this SOMEDAY, remember…..SOMEDAY IS TODAY!

Please donate now to our TNT team and help us all get closer to a world without blood cancers!!

With much gratitude and heartfelt Thanks- TEAM NORM- Weinberger Family and Friends