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Elite Team to Climb the Grand Teton to Raise Funds and Awareness for Cure Duchenne

Among the group are a scientist, rock musician, hedge fund guru and former Hockey Stanley Cup champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist. All have known one another and bonded over their quest to find a cure for Duchenne - the most common and deadly muscular disease diagnosed in children. This is the third year the group has participated in CureDuchenne's "Pick Your Peak: Climb to CureDuchenne" adventure. They have come to be known as the Elite Team since they challenge themselves every year to climb a technically difficult mountain. So far, the team has conquered Mt. Shasta and Mt. Rainier and raised over $400,000 in the process.

The cause is especially personal to climbing team leader, Paul Miller, of Corona del Mar, Calif., and fellow climber, Bill Procko, of O'Brien, Fla. Each has a son diagnosed with the disorder. Miller's son, Hawken, is 14 and Procko's son, Evan, is 7.

"Time is against us. The disease is fatal," explained Miller, Co-Founder of CureDuchenne. "What most people don't know is Duchenne is commonly diagnosed; yet the research is severely underfunded. The sense of urgency and the promise of what several research projects are yielding in laboratory animals and in human patients drives us to never give up," he added.

Those making The Grand Teton climb are: Miller, Procko, Scott Niedermayer, of Newport Beach, Calif., Dr. Barry Byrne, of Gainesville, Fla., Tony Hynes, of Newport Beach, Calif., and Christian Schauf, of Minneapolis, Minn. The group will climb to high camp (11,000 feet) on day one and attempt to summit on Saturday, June 25^th.

About CureDuchenne

CureDuchenne, a national nonprofit organization located in Newport Beach, Calif., is gaining international attention for its efforts to raise funds and awareness for Duchenne - the most devastating and lethal muscular dystrophy in children. One in every 3,500 males born is diagnosed with the disease. Nearly 20,000 boys are living with Duchenne in the United States alone, and many will not survive their teenage years. The disorder knows no ethnic or social boundaries.

The funds CureDuchenne raises support the most promising research projects aimed at treating and curing the disease with the help of its distinguished panel of Scientific Advisors from around the world.

To date, six research projects have made their way into human clinical trials with support from CureDuchenne. This accelerated push to move research from the lab into clinical trials could save the lives of those afflicted and give them hope for halting the progress of the disease. Very few health-related nonprofits have been as successful in being a catalyst for human clinical trials. CureDuchenne also works tirelessly to bring awareness to the disease through extensive outreach, promotions and celebrity endorsements.

CureDuchenne
Peggy Larson
(949) 872-2552