MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY ASSOCIATION

TAGS: neuromuscular disorders, muscular dystrophy, grants, 

The use of a walker did not inhibit me from fulfilling my daily routine. I was still able to drive; for a good number of years I was capable of folding up my walker, place it in the car's trunk and take it out whenever I needed it. I kept my jobs, both of them. I did my chores at home: made my bed, cooked, washed dishes. I also was able to go on vacations with my husband or even by myself to visit my children and family.

But of course, it was not as easy as before. The difficulties I was experiencing had made me very sensitive to the sufferings of people with Muscular Dystrophy. For that reason I paid so much attention to a call I received at the office from a person inviting my boss -a well known Miami lawyer- to be 'jailed' in a program organized by the Muscular Dystrophy Association, in which the 'arrested' called his friends and family to ask them for money to pay for his/her freedom. All the money collected goes to benefit the causes of the association. One of those causes being funding Grants to research: "promising theories and therapies that may accelerate treatments' to those living with neuromuscular disorders".

My boss allowed me to take his place. I did.  Muscular Dystrophy sent an officer to arrest me. I was 'jailed' and I made calls to my friends and family asking them to help me pay my bond.

As a reporter for Diario Las Americas I had many followers; many of them were glad to collaborate with me to pay for my freedom; soon I had collected the money needed.

That was the first time that I helped raise money for Muscular Dystrophy Association's fight against that terrible disease. After my 'imprisonment', I organized luncheons and events for that purpose. Definitely more money than the raised by my children on those distant little carnivals at our front yard in Washington, but with the same enthusiasm and love.

ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE TO READ:

https://www.mda.org/

LOOKING BACK:

I often reflect on how, before being diagnosed with MD, I seldom thought of the need of research on rare diseases and its costs.