February 14, 2018
Racing to fight muscle diseases
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Submitted Photo
The Flying Pigs team at the MDA Muscle Walk at Tower Grove Park.
Family and friends bring community together to battle diseases like Muscular Dystrophy with fundraising efforts By Olivia Holler Night at the Races is an event to raise money for people affected by muscular diseases in the St. Louis area. My family and my neighbors, the Hawn family, are one of the many families affected by this. One day, my mom and Mrs. Hawn were talking over the fence and they realized that we have very similar stories. The Hawn’s created the team “The Flying Pigs” in 2009 after they had experienced the loss of their six-month-old son, Ryan. Ryan had Spinal Muscular Dystrophy Type 1. This causes weaknesses of the core muscles of the body and infants. It was really a blessing for them to come into our family’s lives and let us be a part of their team. I have Myopathy with respiratory weakness. My disease causes me to have fatigue, respiratory obstruction, shortness of breath, and weakness in my neck, hip, thighs and upper arm muscles. I also have scoliosis. I had spinal fusion when I was in seventh grade. I have been in a chair for about two years to conserve my energy and to preserve my respiratory function. My sister and my mom also have a milder form of
Muscular Dystrophy. We use our strengths and differences to come together and support not only our families but others as well. Our team raised nearly $16,000 from October to about April last year. Our goal is $30,000 for this year. The donations go towards a lot of different things like camp, research, equipment and a bunch of other things. Here’s some quick points on how the money is broken up: • $2,000- one week of a research grant. • $3,000- will provide care support for 25 MDA Care Center visits. • $5,000- will fund one month of research for a young investigator. • $8,000- will send four kids to MDA camp for a week with no cost toward a family. • $10,000- two weeks of support from MDA’s National Resource Center. The “Night at the Races” will be on Feb. 24 at Immaculate Conception Parish Hall. Doors open at 6 p.m. and races begin at 7 p.m. This is the second time we have done this event. Last year we had 200 people and raised $15,328.
NIGHT AT THE RACES
Feb. 24
Immaculate Conception Parish Hall Doors open at 6 p.m. Races begin at 7 p.m.
At the event there is 12 horse races, auction items, 50/50’s and heads or tails. To participate you can donate, buy a table which is $200 per table, buy a horse for $50 and you can sponsor a race for $100. We also sell t-shirts and do other events like the Muscle Walk that is held on April 21 at Tower Grove Park. The t-shirts are $15 See ‘MUSCLE’ page 2
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