Hello Friends,

Thank you for visiting my personal fundraising page.  I feel fortunate to be part of the 12 person team climbing Mt. Rainier in Washington to help raise awareness and funding for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.  The organization was started by parents whose only child has DMD. The organization supports the most viable research efforts to help find a cure. Their efforts are targeted and they have the leading scientists in the world helping to determine the best research opportunities.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a severe genetic disease characterized by rapid muscle degeneration.  This affliction affects 1 in 3500 males.  Symptoms usually appear in children before the age of six and as early as infancy.  Loss of muscle mass in the pelvis and legs occur first resulting in muscle weakness and eventually spreads to the arms and neck and other areas.  Most children are wheelchair dependent by age 12.  The average life expectancy for these unfortunate patients is between the early teens and age 30.

I first learned of muscular dystrophy in college and helped organize a wiffleball tournament in partnership with my fraternity to help the cause.  My girlfriend at the time (my wife now) flew out from California and ran the tournament for me because I came down with the flu.  A couple years ago Marra and I participated in one of the poker tournaments for CureDuchenne and now I find myself very fortunate to take Kelly's spot in the climb for CureDuchenne.  This is a curable disease and I'm confident in CureDuchenne is the charity to help make it a reality.

Marra is holding a Pilates With A Purpose workshop to help raise funds for this cause.  The cost is a $120 donation to CureDuchenne in exchange for 5 pilate reformer classes.  Classes are to be held at Body Design in Newport Beach at 12:00 on Wednesdays. The dates are August 5, 12, 19, 26 and September 2nd.  Contact Marra if you are interested at marraokola@yahoo.com.

Thank you for visiting the page and your donation to help find a cure for DMD.

Thanks,

Tom