Immune Deficiency Foundation Honors Cerda Family and Volunteers From ABC's 'Extreme...

Immune Deficiency Foundation Honors Cerda Family and Volunteers From ABC's
'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition'

LAS VEGAS and TOWSON, Md., May 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Founder and
president of the Immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF), Marcia Boyle, traveled to
Las Vegas this weekend to recognize the Cerda family, Wright Custom Home and
many other community volunteers, for their efforts in raising awareness of
primary immunodeficiency diseases (PIDD). The family, home builders and
volunteers were featured on the May 10 episode of ABC's "Extreme Makeover:
Home Edition." The full episode can be viewed at:
http://abc.go.com/primetime/xtremehome/

"Terri has been a tireless advocate for her family and others living with
their illness, and she and her family deserve this happiness," said Marcia
Boyle, founder and president of the Immune Deficiency Foundation. "We are
grateful to 'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,' Wright Custom Home and the many,
many volunteers for their contributions to this effort, and for giving the
Cerda family greater hope, and the opportunity to highlight and bring greater
awareness and understanding to their illness and our Foundation."

IDF will be featured on ABC's "A Better Community" Website in association with
the Cerda family episode to let viewers know how they can support IDF and make
a difference in the lives of families who are affected by PIDD. More
information can be found at http://abc.go.com/abettercommunity/.

The Cerda family was selected for the show not only because of their personal,
financial and health-related difficulties resulting from having PIDD, but also
because of their incredible volunteer work for IDF and for families in need,
both in their local community and around the country. Terri Cerda and her two
young daughters are all diagnosed with combined immune deficiency disease, one
of the most severe types of the more than 150 different PIDD. In the U.S.,
there are approximately 250,000 people diagnosed with primary immunodeficiency
disease and thousands more go undetected.

Primary immunodeficiency diseases occur in patients born with an immune system
that is either absent or poorly functioning. There are over 150 different
types of PIDD, all caused by genetic or intrinsic defects. People with PIDD
live their entire lives more susceptible to infections -- enduring recurrent
health problems and often developing serious and debilitating illnesses. With
early diagnosis and appropriate therapies, many patients can live healthy and
productive lives. Although some PIDD manifest in infancy or early childhood,
some forms can occur in any decade of life.

Primary immunodeficiency diseases were a recent topic on Capitol Hill in
Washington, D.C., where Representatives Israel (D-NY), Brady (R-TX) and
Schwartz (D-PA), and Senators Kerry (D-MA) and Alexander (R-TN), introduced
the Medicare Patient IVIG Access Act of 2009 (H.R. 2002 and S. 701
respectively) - meant to remedy inadequate Medicare reimbursements for
intravenous immune globulin (IVIG), and allow home infusion of IVIG for
Medicare beneficiaries with PIDD. IVIG is a life-saving and life-enhancing
therapy for tens of thousands of patients with primary immunodeficiency
diseases, including Terri Cerda and her daughters. As a result of very high
co-pay costs and inadequate reimbursement by Medicare, Cerda has not been able
to receive her bimonthly infusions of IVIG for over five months, leaving her
to constantly live in fear of an infection that could hinder her ability to
care for her daughters.

"Much like the Cerda family's home makeover, we need an extreme makeover of
policies in Washington that are blocking patient access to IVIG," added Boyle.

About the Immune Deficiency Foundation
The Immune Deficiency Foundation is the national patient organization
dedicated to improving the diagnosis, treatment and quality of life of persons
with primary immunodeficiency diseases through advocacy, education, and
research. To learn more about IDF, visit www.primaryimmune.org.

About "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition"
The Emmy award winning reality program "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," now
in its 6th season, is produced by Endemol USA, a division of Endemol Holding.
It's executive-produced by Anthony Dominici. David Goldberg is Chairman,
Endemol North America. The show airs Sundays from 8:00-9:00 p.m., ET on ABC.

SOURCE Immune Deficiency Foundation

Heather Cable, +1-202-585-2765, hcable@powelltate.com, for the Immune
Deficiency Foundation