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Sports News: Fall 2009 |
| Friday, September 25, 2009
MORAVIAN, JOHNS HOPKINS COACHING STAFFS TEAM UP IN THE FIGHT
On that game day, thousands of coaches nationwide in all levels of collegiate football will come together to raise awareness and research funding for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, the most prolific genetic killer diagnosed in childhood. A total of 351 colleges and universities are participating including 111 on the NCAA Division III level and seven of the nine schools in the Centennial Conference. “College football coaches are dedicated to the betterment of young men and that’s why the entire coaching profession is proud to be a part of Coach to Cure MD,” said Grant Teaff, AFCA executive director and legendary former coach of Baylor University. “Our coaches are determined to beat Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and we need college football fans to help.” On September 26th, AFCA members will wear a ―Coach to Cure MD‖ logo patch on the sidelines and college football fans will be asked to donate to research projects supported by Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy, the largest nonprofit organization in the U.S. focused entirely on Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Football fans can donate to Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy research by either going online to www.CoachtoCureMD.org or by texting the word "CURE" to 90999 (a $5 donation will automatically be added to your next phone bill). Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is the most common fatal genetic disorder diagnosed during childhood and primarily affects boys across all races and cultures. Boys and young men with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy develop progressive muscle weakness that eventually causes loss of mobility, wheelchair dependency and a decline in respiratory and cardiac function. Currently, there is no cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and limited therapeutic options exist. The financial service firm TIAA-CREF has signed on again this year as the national sponsor and will donate air-time on September 26th for a Coach to Cure MD commercial featuring football legends, Jim Tressel and Rich Rodriguez. Last year, over 2,675 college coaches participated in the inaugural Coach to Cure MD event. Teaff said he expects an even wider cross-section of coaches to participate in the program’s second year. Families affected with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy will also gather for fund-raising tailgate parties on campuses around the country to encourage more fans to get involved. “We are thrilled to be teammates again this year with the AFCA for Coach to Cure MD. The commitment of the coaches and universities that are participating is truly inspiring. We are taking a comprehensive approach in the fight against Duchenne—funding research, raising awareness, promoting advocacy, connecting the community, and broadening treatment options,” said Pat Furlong, founding president and CEO of PPMD. “And with the support of the AFCA and college football fans everywhere, we are confident that we will end Duchenne.” About AFCA About PPMD Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD) is a national not-for-profit organization founded in 1994 by parents of children with Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy. The organization’s mission is to improve the treatment, quality of life and long-term outlook for all individuals affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy through research, advocacy, education and compassion. PPMD is headquartered in Middletown, Ohio with offices in Fort Lee, New Jersey. For more information, visit www.parentprojectmd.org. Parts of this release are from the AFCA and PPMD websites. |
WACO, TX --- The football coaching staffs at Moravian College and Johns Hopkins University will be participating in the Coach to Cure MD project on Saturday, September 26th when the two teams meet at Homewood Field in Baltimore. The staffs are just two of the over 350 that will participate in Coach to Cure MD, a national charity project of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) that culminates on September 26, 2009.