On August 8-9 members of the North Myrtle Beach Fire Department raised
$4,695 for the Muscular Distrophy Association (MDA) during its annual
Fill the Boot campaign, which seeks to help save and improve the lives
of people fighting muscle disease in the North Myrtle Beach area.
Muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and other
related life-threatening diseases take away a person’s ability to walk,
move, smile, talk, and even breathe.
The
MDA is the world’s leading nonprofit health agency dedicated to saving
and improving the lives of anyone with muscle disease, including
muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other
neuromuscular diseases. It does so by funding worldwide research to find
treatments and cures; by providing comprehensive health care services
and support to MDA families nationwide; and by rallying communities to
fight back through advocacy, fundraising and local engagement. Visit www.mda.org and follow us at www.facebook.com/MDAnational and @MDAnews. Learn more about MDA's mission by watching this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWOTeyMteV0
“For
six decades, fire fighters have fueled MDA's mission to find treatments
and cures for life-threatening muscle diseases, and this year’s Fill
the Boot results are a perfect example of the true dedication the North Myrtle Beach Fire Department has
toward supporting the families we serve,” said MDA Fundraising
Coordinator Katie Murphy. “We’re grateful for the support of these
inspiring, selfless individuals who provide life-saving help that will
fund research, advocate for children and adults affected by muscle
disease, and rally our community to fight back.”
Funds
raised through the Fill the Boot event build on decades of research
progress, helping push science to its limits in the search for
treatments and cures. Dollars raised also help support MDA’s
life-enhancing programs which include state-of-the-art support groups
and clinics. They also make MDA summer camp possible so kids with
muscle disease can enjoy “the best week of the year” at Camp Hanes in
King, NC and nearly 80 other locations nationwide.
As
the Muscular Dystrophy Association's largest national sponsor, the
International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) fuels MDA's mission to
find treatments and cures for life-threatening muscle diseases. In
addition to Fill the Boot events, contributions from charity baseball
games and other local events hosted/sponsored by the IAFF help support
MDA's efforts to raise awareness and provide professional and public
education about neuromuscular diseases.
IAFF
support for MDA began in 1954 when the organization committed by
proclamation to support MDA until a cure is found, and the
organization's unwavering commitment to MDA has remained strong to this
day. The IAFF raised $100,000 for MDA in 1955, and $1 million in 1970,
and fire fighters continue to raise the bar in their fundraising
efforts. In 2013, more than 100,000 fire fighters participated in Fill
the Boot events across the country and raised $26.2 million. To date the
IAFF has raised $558 million for MDA.
About the IAFF
The
International Association of Fire Fighters
represents more than 300,000 professional fire fighters and paramedics
who protect 85 percent of the nation’s population. More than 3,200
affiliates and their members protect communities in every state in the
United States and in Canada.
