Dana's Angels Research Trust (DART) is a 501(c)(3) charitable trust directed toward funding medical research, medical education, or medical or hospital care for the treatment or cure of Niemann-Pick Type C disease (NPC) or other similar genetic diseases.

Description:
Although children and some adults worldwide are afflicted, research has been extremely limited primarily because of insufficient funding due to a smaller population of those affected and a lack of public awareness. Currently, children rarely live past their early teens, and there is no cure or treatment for NPC. DART will help all of those (adults and children) suffering from the disease of NPC. It may also help those millions of people suffering from heart disease, strokes, Alzheimer's disease and other disorders that appear to be related to the metabolism of cholesterol.

History:
DART was established in 2002 by Philip and Andrea Marella. From the age of five, it was apparent that the Marella's daughter Dana, a happy, caring and energetic child, had visual and learning difficulties. Since that time, Dana's visual and cognitive challenges, and her balance have become progressively worse. After years of searching for answers to Dana's challenges, Dana was diagnosed in 2002 at the age of eight with NPC, a genetic disorder that prohibits the metabolism of cholesterol. Unfortunately, as with many other genetic diseases, the Marella's learned in 2004 that their youngest child, Andrew, then only 5-years old, is also afflicted with NPC.

To date, DART has raised over $1,000,000 and provided funding for four research grants, one at Columbia University, one at the University of California, San Francisco, a third at the University of Pennsylvania, and the fourth at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. DART is also funding two fellowships in neuroscience with the Ara Parseghian Medical Research Foundation.

Contact people:

Philip Marella, Trustee, (phone), (email) Andrea Marella, Trustee, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (203) 861-2614

Address:

15 East Putnam Ave., #117 Greenwich, CT 06830 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.danasangels.org

Miscellaneous Information

Does your agency have weekend volunteer opportunities?
	Yes
Does your agency have evening volunteer opportunities?
	Yes
Does your agecny accept court ordered communituy service volunteers?
	Yes
Does your agency accept and coordinate group projects for corporate volunteers?
	Yes
Does your agency accept and coordinate group projects for youth volunteers?
	Yes
Does your agency accept youth volunteers ages 8-13 with adult supervision?
	Yes
Does your agency accept youth volunteers ages 14-18?
	Yes