I'm Participating in the MDA Muscle Walk!
?FOR THE LOVE OF JUSTIN?
On Saturday, February 23, 2013, Lester and I will again be participating in the Annual Muscular Dystrophy Muscle Walk fundraiser held at Barton Creek Mall. We have become dedicated to working with the Austin Muscular Dystrophy Association office helping them in their efforts to help the Muscular Dystrophy clients and families. There is still NOT A CURE for ANY of the 40 Muscular Dystrophy diseases. The Muscle Walk is one way for us to raise money to go directly to the research to find a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). We continue to pray and hope for a cure of this life threatening disease which has taken over Justin?s body. He continues to take prednisone medicine plus several other vitamins in hopes of slowing the progression of muscle loss and help with his stamina. Whenever we see Justin we are saddened by the progressed challenges he has to any movements of his body he attempts.
Justin is now a freshman in high school and continues making A?s and B?s. At the beginning of this school year he gave up his love of playing the percussion in the high school band because it was hard for him due to losing muscle strength in his arms and upper body. He continues in the theater program and has been in several plays at school, and I might add he is a good actor. He will be participating in UIL competition next month performing in a One Act play and also science and number sense. Last year in the Jackson County Fair he placed second in showmanship with his rabbits but only placed 18th, although the best part, he did get to sell them. He plans to raise and show rabbits again this year. He continues to play video games. He still has enough strength, with Dad?s support, in his arms and upper body to hold a rifle to go hunting for deer and wild hogs. He and his dad will go out at night to hunt for wild hogs in the country where they live. This past year was sad for Justin, Fuzzy Buddy, his cat, died. Due to the contraction related damage to his leg muscles, which causes his feet to be pointed downward, this past spring he had successful heel cord surgery, a surgical procedure to cut the Achilles? tendons to lengthen them which positions his feet in the normal flat position. His last trip to Cincinnati, Ohio for his annual checkup, he got a prescription for a standing wheelchair. He will be able to stand with the assistance of this motorized wheelchair and this made him one happy young man. This new wheelchair will give him the opportunity to stand and be face to face with his friends and feel more a part of the other students/adults conversations and activities. The only obstacle now is to get the insurance company to approve the expenditure of the wheelchair. He also received good reports from all of the specialists he saw there.
There are a couple of clinical trials in the early stages that appear to be promising as treatments. This would not be possible without your support. MDA funds more research into Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy than any other non-government organization. Please join our team to help fight Duchenne.
Lester and I are proud to be team captains for our team ?For the Love of Justin?. Please join us at Barton Creek Mall, 2901 S. Capital of Texas Highway and join in the Victory Lap in the Mall at 8 a.m.. Our team wears camo t-shirts or caps. The Muscle Walk teams will meet at the entrance next to the movie theater and then all depart on a VICTORY LAP inside the mall. After the walk teams will be competing to pull a City of Austin (AFD) fire truck 100 feet. Last year the AFD team won first place. Way to go AFD and thanks for participating. Come and help our team win this year. Last year the Austin Muscle Walk was 7th in the nation in participation and fund raising.
Our goal this year is to raise $8,000. As in the previous Muscle Walks, the money we raise will go to DMD research. Please help us to make the dream come true for a treatment/cure.
If you would like to make a donation, make the check payable to ?MDA? and send it in the enclosed envelope or you may go in to http://www2.mda.org/goto/fortheloveofjustin and click on ?DONATION.? YOUR HELP IS OUR HOPE.
Thank you for caring, your support and continuing to keep Justin in your prayers.
God Bless each and every one
Make a Muscle. Make a Difference.
