This is an exciting, life changing, adventure that I will be embarking upon this summer. I will be joining a group of young people who will proudly bike 1,500 miles across the country to help raise funds and awareness for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). Duchenne is a devastating, progressive neuromuscular disorder which robs those diagnosed of their mobility, independence, and eventually their life.
This event is called
JettRide 2011. From July 5th to August 5th, our team will bike through 8 states and numerous cities/towns - including my hometown Hartland, MI and my favorite place, Point Pleasant! The ride will take off in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and will end in Point Pleasant, New Jersey. All of the riders have had a neuromuscular disease impact their family or friends. I'll be talking about DMD, raising money, and visiting boys with Duchenne all along the way.
My 11 year old brother Kyle has Duchenne, and I would like to help him in any way I can. I am participating in the JettRide because I want to raise money to fight Duchenne. Jett Foundation is paying for research that we hope will put an end to Duchenne. I want my brother to be able to run, play baseball and ride a bike with his friends, like he used to be able to do.
What is Duchenne? Duchenne is the most common lethal genetic disorder diagnosed during childhood today. It is a progressive neuromuscular disorder that causes loss of muscle function. DMD affects approximately 1 in every 3,500 boys, or 20,000 babies born each year worldwide. Because the DMD gene is found on the X chromosome, the disorder manifests primarily in boys. DMD affects families of every race and culture. Regardless of family history, DMD can occur in any pregnancy. Random spontaneous genetic mutation is the cause of DMD in nearly 35% of families affected. (like ours) There's no known cure or way to stop Duchenne - but a lot of scientists and doctors around the world are trying very hard to find one soon.