NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On Saturday, May 7th, at a star-studded evening under the stars, CureDuchenne, a national nonprofit in Newport Beach, Calif., raised $333,000 to support the Center for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy at UCLA.
The 4th Annual “Dealing for Duchenne” was held at Sony Picture Studios and included such well-known entertainment personalities as Oliver Hudson, Kara DioGuardi, Paul Reiser, Tyler Hilton, Natalia Safran and Joel Murray. DioGuardi and Hilton flew in from Atlanta, Ga. to perform for the crowd of over 550 people. In addition, former USC football star, Green Bay Packer and NFL Super Bowl Champion Clay Matthews was in attendance.
The evening turned the spotlight on its Duchenne Champions – Tom Whalley, former CEO and Chairman of Warner Bros., and his wife, Melanie Meyer, for their generosity and support over the years and Cadillac, under the leadership of General Motors Global Chief Marketing Officer Joel Ewanick, for its generous marketing support over the last six months. Ewanick and his wife, Liz, traveled from Detroit, Mich. to accept the award.
Whalley and Meyer have been supporting “Dealing for Duchenne” since its inception four years ago, according to Event Creators and Co-Chairs Amy and Chris Martin. “Tom and Melanie have always been there to help us grow and succeed. Their kindness and generosity inspire us to work harder in raising funds for a cure,” Amy Martin said.
According to Mindy Cameron, CureDuchenne advocate and manager of the Cadillac partnership, the support of the Ewanicks and Cadillac have been instrumental in taking CureDuchenne to the next level. “The momentum from this partnership has carried us forward in a way that would have taken much longer to achieve,” Cameron said. “A cure is possible and we’re that much closer to finding it because of the Ewanicks and Cadillac.”
The net proceeds from “Dealing for Duchenne” will support the Center for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy at UCLA. “The exciting partnership between CureDuchenne and UCLA will offer Duchenne patients in Southern California the only comprehensive medical facility and clinical trials site on the West coast,” said Amy Martin.
UCLA is home to one of the world’s leading biomedical research institutions — the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. In addition, the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center is ranked the third best hospital in the country and number one in the West according to U.S.News & World Report’s annual survey.
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 – a devastating and lethal muscle disease in children. One in every 3,500 births results in a child being afflicted (mostly boys) with the disease. Over 15,000 boys are living with the disease 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.