Actress Gillian Anderson of “X-Files” fame stopped in Washington D.C. on July 12^th, over the summer, on a charity mission to promote awareness of the genetic disorder, Neurofibromatosis. Sponsored by the non-profit organization NF Inc.based in Lanham, Md, the activities included a Capitol Hill luncheon hosted by Sen. Spencer Abraham, a Republican from her home state of Michigan , and a benefit reception/dinner in the evening at the St. Regis Hotel .

I had the extreme pleasure of attending the reception and the exclusive dinner that followed. For over an hour I enjoyed close company with the actress I admire most, observing her nuances, engaging in conversation, sharing glances, laughing at quips, listening to stories, and generally just hanging out. For me it was nothing short of heaven, for her it was an opportunity to meet new people and share her dedication to an important charity.

            For Anderson , Neurofibromatosis (NF for short) is a disorder that strikes close to home. Her younger brother, Aaron, was diagnosed with the disease at the age of three. Her mother, Rosemary, is also active in the fight against the disorder and attended the evenings activities along side her daughter.

            According to literature distributed by the organization, “NF is a genetic disorder that causes tumors to form on the covering of the nerves anywhere in the body at any time.” “It is one of the most common genetic disorders in the United States – affecting one in every four thousand births.” “It is a progressive disorder that affects all ethnic groups and both sexes equally.” Symptoms range from mild tumor growth on the optical nerve and spine (NF-1) to extreme tumor growth near the auditory nerves, causing pressure on other nerves in the head and body, loss of hearing and balance, and on the spine where the tumors can attack the central nervous system(NF-2).

“Currently NF has no treatment, other than the surgical removal of tumors, which sometimes grow back,” the literature continues, “There is no known cure for either form of the disorder, even though the genes for both NF-1 and NF-2 have been identified.” The government has made a pledge to increase funding for research. “President Clinton has asked for increased funding to fight this disorder.” The Department of Defense recently announced that it will pony up $12.4 Million in grants to fund research through the auspices of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Material command.

            Ms. Anderson  is using her celebrity status to further the cause both in the press and by raising funds through her appearances and by annual auctions held through her official website, http://gaws.ao.net. According to comments from the Senate luncheon which aired on the television show Extra, “That’s the only reason to be a celebrity, as far as I am concerned.”

            The reception was attended by approximately seventy five contributors and featured photographs with the actress and a roundtable question and answer session that lasted for about 45 minutes. Most of the questions centered on her role as agent Dana Scully on Fox Television’s long running series “The X-Files.” She told a few stories about life on the set, going on location, and the detailed ins and outs of the intricate story lines. One young woman asked her advice for young aspiring actors. This elicited a long story of how she resisted the temptation to quit school at the age of 17 to pursue her dreams, opting instead to stay the course, go to college, get an education, then exploring her opportunities as a professional. “Who knows, you may find that something else catches your interest more so than acting.” She stated. Going through a program at the college level “Looks good on a resume” she said.

            The dinner was an intimate affair of less than thirty people including Dr. Ann Simon, a scientist at the University of Maryland , which sometimes does consulting work with “X-Files” creator Chris Carter. She recently wrote a book entitled, “The Science behind the X-Files.” During the dinner she quipped that when real scientists find themselves in a predicament they often say, “Get Scully in here, she could do it!” This was received with amazement by Ms. Anderson.

The talk around the dinner tables centered around the guests, who they were, what they did. Ms. Anderson listened intently to each and everyone, including myself, asking many questions along the way. She is incredibly down to earth and apparently wears her emotions near the surface. She laughs that trademark laugh of hers, rarely heard as agent Scully, almost as often as she signs autographs. Asked if she uses props to elicit tears while filming, she replied “I only had to do that once, it was a long day and a really technical shot, I just couldn’t get into the moment.”

The night ended in a flurry of picture taking and autograph signing, with the actress even indulging a few fans that had gathered in the hotel lobby. From there she was heading to San Francisco to help kick off the 14^th annual Aids Walk at Golden Gate Park . She returned to the set in late July to gear up for the 8^th season of the “X-Files.” Her latest film project “The House of Mirth,” based on Edith Wharton’s novel, opens at the New York Film Festival in late September.

For more information on Neurofibromatosis, contact NF Inc. at http://www.nfinc.org, or toll free at 800-942-6825.