Neurofibromatosis Northeast welcomes Andrés Lessing as new member of the Board of Directors

Burlington, MA based Neurofibromatosis Northeast, the non-profit patient advocacy organization whose mission is to find a cure and treatment for neurofibromatosis by promoting scientific research, creating awareness, and providing hope and support to those who are affected by NF, is extremely pleased to announce that Andrés Lessing has recently been elected to serve as a member of their Board of Directors. Led by Board Chair, Lori Ryan, RN, MS, Neurofibromatosis Northeast now has a highly professional 15-member board.

Lori Ryan commented, “We are so delighted to have Andrés join the Board of Directors. As a person who lives with NF1 he brings his valuable personal experiences to the organization. Neurofibromatosis Northeast has been adding members to the Board over the past few years and Andrés adds yet another voice to represent our NF community. We look forward to closely working with him as we move towards finding treatments and a cure for NF.”

Neurofibromatosis is a genetic disorder of the nervous system that causes tumors to form on the nerves anywhere on or in the body at any time. While the vast majority of NF-related tumors may initially start out benign, the disorder can be debilitating and may cause disfigurement, blindness, deafness, psychological issues and cancer.

Lessing was 9 months old when he was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). His NF was the result of a spontaneous mutation. Lessing and his family have been active within the NF Northeast community for many years, and one of his most critical contributions to the organization was to develop their first website. Along with his father he helped organize Friends Ride for NF, a bike ride on Cape Cod – which not only raised money and awareness for neurofibromatosis, but also provided the framework for the hugely successful Coast to the Cure Bike Ride for NF. Recognizing the critical importance of federally funded NF research, Lessing has been a Consumer Reviewer for the Neurofibromatosis Research Program (NFRP) which is part of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP).

Lessing says, “Joining the board gives me further opportunity to help those affected by neurofibromatosis, raise awareness of this disorder, and continue the work to find a cure.”

Lessing works for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts as a Technical Business and Compliance Manager and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Brandeis University and an MBA from Boston College. He and his wife are the parents of twins and they enjoy being involved in their children’s activities. They are also committed to their local community where Andrés was recently elected a Town Meeting Member.

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About Neurofibromatosis Northeast:

Neurofibromatosis Northeast is based in Burlington, Massachusetts. Their mission is to find a cure and treatment for neurofibromatosis by promoting scientific research, creating awareness, and providing hope and support to those who are affected by NF.

To learn more about neurofibromatosis, visit the NF Northeast website at www.nfincne.org or call 781-272-9936.