On Monday, Feb. 13, the Student Association kicked off “Fight DMD,” a five-week series of campus activities to raise money to research a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
Fundraising events began on Valentine’s Day when the SA hosted a singles vs. taken donation contest and a blind-date setup. The SA and Campus Activities Board have also organized a basketball orange night, Disney movie week, Quidditch tournament and T-shirt sale throughout the month to raise money for Fight DMD according to SA Vice President Amanda Herren.
Terry Marlin, founder of FightDMD.com, spoke in chapel on Monday about when he and his wife learned their two young sons, Jonah and Emory, have DMD. Marlin said he created FightDMD.com soon after his sons were diagnosed in 2008.
According to FightDMD.com, DMD is a muscular disease that affects one out of every 3,600 male children. The website said that due to rapid muscular degernation kids with Duchenne will be confined to a wheelchair by age 12, and paralyzed by their late teens, and their life expectancy is in the mid-20s, with no cure.
Marlin said in chapel that he started FightDMD.com because he was dissatisfied with the research being done to find a cure for the disease. Marlin said that the goal of the foundation is to raise $500,000 to start a DMD research department at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt University and to increase awareness about the disease.
Junior Sarah Hoffman, who attends church with the Marlins in Tennessee, approached the SA last semester about getting involved with Fight DMD. Hoffman said she hopes the student body will be inspired and prompted to take action, like she was, after hearing the Marlins’ story.
“Unless a cure is found, the Marlins’ boys wont live to see their 30s,” Hoffman said. “That’s how fast the disease progresses. My little brothers can run around and do everything, but Jonah and Emory have problems walking up stairs. It doesn’t seem fair; everyone should get an equal shot at life. From that standpoint, I would understand if they were bitter people but they’re not — they’re so hopeful.”
Hoffman said she wants Harding students to not only contribute money to help fight DMD, but say prayers.
“That’s the best way to help anything,” Hoffman said.
On March 17 Fight DMD will conclude with a 5K run and 3K walk and a celebration on the front lawn featuring performances by Belles and Beaux and Good News Singers, Hoffman said.
SA Secretary Claire Walker said she and the SA would like to see the whole student body get behind Fight DMD and show up at the special events to support Fight DMD’s endeavor to find a cure for this currently incurable disease.
“We just want them to get super-excited about the changes that can be made and to see that the student body can help do so much to help other people,” Walker said. “The research that is going to go on will help so many people, and it’s exciting that we can have a tiny bit of involvement.”
