Eighth Annual Champions to CureDuchenne Gala Raises More Than $378,000 Towards Finding a Cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Austin, Texas, May 4, 2017 – On April 8, hundreds gathered at The University of Texas Golf Club for a common goal, raising awareness and funds to help CureDuchenne in its mission to find a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a fatal genetic disease.

The eighth annual Champions to CureDuchenne, emceed by Jim Spencer, chief weathercaster at KXAN, raised more than $378,000 in the hopes of improving the lives of all those affected by Duchenne. Those with Duchenne often lose their ability to walk by their mid-teens and the disease claims their lives by their mid-20s. Over the years, CureDuchenne has advanced drug development in Duchenne treatment thanks to the champions who attend and support the Champions to CureDuchenne Gala.

Eight years ago, former University of Texas coach Mack Brown and his wife Sally teamed up with Tim and Laura Revell, parents of two boys with Duchenne, and created Champions to CureDuchenne.  Since its inception, the annual event has raised more than a million dollars to find a cure for this devastating disease.

“Every year, champions gather to bring hope to boys with Duchenne and their families,” said Tim Revell.  “Now more than ever, we must commit to finding a cure. As advancements are made, we must continue to push forward in our fight. With the help of all CureDuchenne Champions, we are able to invest in the future survival of all those with Duchenne.”

The proceeds of the event will fund gene editing research that could be transformational for Duchenne patients.  This one-time treatment using CRISPR/Cas9 technology has the potential to correct a majority of the genetic mutations in Duchenne.  This research is being conducted by Dr. Eric Olson, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Molecular Biology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

Presented by Fired Up Charity Foundation, the eighth annual Champions to CureDuchenne included gracious event sponsors, Revenew International, Brightstar Care of Austin, Designer Floors of Texas, Fitzpatrick Insurance Solutions, H-E-B Tournament of Champions, NFL Alumni Austin, Reese Family Foundation, Russell Korman, Sarepta Therapeutics, Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Summit Stoneworks, and Waypoint Lighting. The fun-filled event featured cocktails, dinner, casino, silent and live auction.

About CureDuchenne
CureDuchenne is the leading nonprofit focused on funding research to find a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a disease that affects more than 300,000 boys worldwide.  CureDuchenne’s mission is to extend and improve the lives of those affected by Duchenne. With support from CureDuchenne, nine research projects have advanced to human clinical trials.  CureDuchenne provides the Duchenne community with resources on the best standard of care through its CureDuchenne Cares program. For more information, please visit CureDuchenne.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

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