Our guys did an outstanding job and raised $600 more than last years MDA campaign.
The Jacksonville Fire Department helped raised more than $3400 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association during this year’s “Fill the Boot” campaign in late August. Jacksonville Fire Chief, Chris Arnold said, “Our guys did an outstanding job and raised $600 more than last years MDA campaign. We truly appreciate the generosity here in the Jacksonville area.”
When MDA was first founded in 1950, nothing was known about muscular dystrophy. Nobody knew why little babies were born healthy and then within months of birth were losing muscle tone and dying due to an inability to breath. Nobody knew why boys with seemingly normal strength were having difficulty walking at around age 5 and by age 16 were on the cusp of the end of their lives. And, nothing was known about why Lou Gehrig was losing his grip on his baseball.
Rebecca Long, the local Medford MDA Coordinator told the Review, “When MDA was founded, that nothingness became something very special…and it has only been because of generous donors and sponsors like the Jacksonville Fire Department that we now have the answers to these questions…and so many more.”
Long stressed, “MDA has funded research that has led to the discovery of the causes of most of the 40 neuromuscular diseases in our program… our scientists have learned how to extend the life spans of many of our pediatric diseases and is developing potentially life saving drug therapies for many of our diseases including DMD, SMA, Pompe’s, ALS and many more.”
“As a result,” she added, “MDA can now effectively treat several diseases that were once considered fatal – transforming fatal disorders into chronic disorders. Today, thanks to volunteers like the Jacksonville Fire Department, Jerry’s kids are growing up and starting families of their own.”
Nationwide, MDA is committed to fighting until every one of the estimated one million Americans affected by neuromuscular disease has access to a cure. Long concluded, “We, the world leader in neuromuscular disease are very proud to be partners with the Jacksonville Fire Department, a 56 year tradition with firefighters across the nation.”
<em>For information on the MDA services available at Providence Hospital, contact Rebecca Long at 541-858-9815 or email rlong@mdausa.org</em>