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Football Greats Join Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy at Wine Tasting Event

Posted on: Thursday, 30 April 2009, 15:00 CDT

Former New York Giants Jim Burt and Bart Oates Help Raise Money and Awareness for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

FORT LEE, N.J., April 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pat Furlong, Founding President and CEO of Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD) announced today that former New York Giant stars Jim Burt and Bart Oates will join hundreds of guests for the 1st Annual Pour for a Cure, supporting PPMD, at the Hyatt Regency in New Brunswick, New Jersey on May 8, 2009. More than just a wine tasting of over 200 selections, Pour for a Cure will feature a silent auction, boasting a romantic evening for two in New York City, homes in Florida and France, and a wide array of sports memorabilia. Also included on the guest list is renowned sommelier and author, Anthony Giglio, who will be on hand to guide guests through wine tasting techniques.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081009/DC38130LOGO)

Pour for a Cure is the first event hosted by Duchenne FACES of New Jersey, the official parent-led outreach initiative of PPMD. FACES is an acronym that stands for Families Advocating, Connecting, Educating, and Supporting and offers families affected by Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy, a regional PPMD point of contact as well as serves as a volunteer extension of the PPMD central offices located in Ohio and New Jersey.

Duchenne is the most common fatal genetic disorder diagnosed during early childhood. A progressive muscle disorder that causes loss of muscle function and independence, Duchenne affects approximately one out of every 3,500 boys worldwide. Duchenne can occur during any pregnancy regardless of family history. To date, there is no cure or treatment to stop the progression of Duchenne, and young men with Duchenne typically live only into their twenties. But there is hope.

Ms. Furlong is thrilled with the success of the Duchenne FACES program, and is particularly proud of the efforts of the New Jersey group. "Mike Schneider, Jen Garofalo, Suzanne Gaglianone, and all of the FACES of New Jersey families and friends, have pooled together their resources, contacts, and energy to bring about what promises to be an evening of exceptional wines, foods, and people. The additional support of football heroes Jim Burt and Bart Oates, and the talent of professional connoisseur Anthony Giglio is humbling and makes an already exciting night that much more incredible. We at Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy are so grateful for all of the work of our New Jersey community and feel more confident than ever that we will end Duchenne."

Both Jim Burt and Bart Oates were part of the first New York Giants team, in 1986, to win a Super Bowl. The effect of two such successful athletes supporting a disease that takes away muscle ability in young men, is not lost on Mr. Burt. "As a friend of the Garofalos, I have seen firsthand what this devastating disease can do to the body of a boy. As a football player, I was dependent on my muscles to earn a living. These kids just want to be able to walk upstairs to their room or hug their parents. But it is my understanding that there is hope and that there are advances in science coming down the pike. So I will do anything I can to help move

that process along."

Mr. Oates, who also knows the Garofalos, agrees, "It's a no-brainer. When you care about people -- not just people you know or people that are related to you, but people in general -- you have to help. Duchenne is a horrible disease. But you'd never know it from the kids I meet who are battling this thing. Their spirit and passion for life is inspiring. If they can fight, then I can fight."

This inaugural Pour for a Cure event will boast an impressive wine list of over 200 selections, along with beer and spirits, thanks to Vine Republic in Mountainside, New Jersey. Appetizers, a full buffet dinner, and dessert will provide the perfect complement to the wines. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by visiting www.parentprojectmd.org/pour or at the door. Dress for this event is business casual attire.

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. Only this comprehensive approach will lead to the day that 100% of those diagnosed can turn to a treatment that will end Duchenne. PPMD is headquartered in Middletown, Ohio with offices in Fort Lee, New Jersey. For more information, visit www.parentprojectmd.org.

SOURCE Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy

Source: PR Newswire

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